1956 BMW 501 vs. 1966 Mercury Comet
To start off, 1966 Mercury Comet is newer by 10 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1956 BMW 501. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1956 BMW 501 would be higher. At 3,279 cc (6 cylinders), 1966 Mercury Comet is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1956 BMW 501 (138 HP @ 4800 RPM) has 20 more horse power than 1966 Mercury Comet. (118 HP @ 4400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1956 BMW 501 should accelerate faster than 1966 Mercury Comet.
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, 1966 Mercury Comet (258 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 36 more torque (in Nm) than 1956 BMW 501. (222 Nm @ 2500 RPM). This means 1966 Mercury Comet will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1956 BMW 501.
Compare all specifications:
| 1956 BMW 501 | 1966 Mercury Comet | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 501 | Comet |
| Year Released | 1956 | 1966 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3166 cc | 3279 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 138 HP | 118 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4800 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 222 Nm | 258 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2500 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 82 mm | 103.1 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Length | 4740 mm | 5180 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1790 mm | 1880 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1540 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2840 mm | 2950 mm |
