1953 Chevrolet Bel Air vs. 1978 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1978 Mercury Cougar is newer by 25 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air would be higher. At 4,941 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Mercury Cougar (133 HP @ 3400 RPM) has 18 more horse power than 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air. (115 HP @ 3700 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1978 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 372 kg more than 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
Both vehicles are rear wheel drive (RWD) - it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, both vehicles do the job better than front wheel drive vehicles. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 1978 Mercury Cougar (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 65 more torque (in Nm) than 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air. (271 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air.
Compare all specifications:
1953 Chevrolet Bel Air | 1978 Mercury Cougar | |
Make | Chevrolet | Mercury |
Model | Bel Air | Cougar |
Year Released | 1953 | 1978 |
Engine Position | Front | Front |
Engine Size | 3859 cc | 4941 cc |
Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
Horse Power | 115 HP | 133 HP |
Engine RPM | 3700 RPM | 3400 RPM |
Torque | 271 Nm | 336 Nm |
Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 1600 RPM |
Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
Vehicle Weight | 1483 kg | 1855 kg |
Vehicle Length | 4980 mm | 5480 mm |
Vehicle Width | 1910 mm | 2010 mm |
Vehicle Height | 1650 mm | 1340 mm |
Wheelbase Size | 2930 mm | 2910 mm |