1956 Ford Consul vs. 1980 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1980 Mercury Cougar is newer by 24 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1956 Ford Consul. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1956 Ford Consul would be higher. At 3,271 cc (6 cylinders), 1980 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1980 Mercury Cougar (97 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 50 more horse power than 1956 Ford Consul. (47 HP @ 4400 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1980 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1956 Ford Consul. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 241 kg more than 1956 Ford Consul. 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, 1980 Mercury Cougar (218 Nm @ 1400 RPM) has 94 more torque (in Nm) than 1956 Ford Consul. (124 Nm @ 2300 RPM). This means 1980 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1956 Ford Consul.
Compare all specifications:
| 1956 Ford Consul | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Consul | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1956 | 1980 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1703 cc | 3271 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 47 HP | 97 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4400 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 124 Nm | 218 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2300 RPM | 1400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1089 kg | 1330 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4380 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1750 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1570 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2660 mm | 2690 mm |
