1957 Chevrolet Bel Air vs. 1972 Mercury Montego
To start off, 1972 Mercury Montego is newer by 15 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air would be higher. At 4,095 cc (6 cylinders), 1972 Mercury Montego is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air (115 HP @ 4200 RPM) has 18 more horse power than 1972 Mercury Montego. (97 HP @ 3600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air should accelerate faster than 1972 Mercury Montego. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1972 Mercury Montego weights approximately 69 kg more than 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air.
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, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air (277 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 29 more torque (in Nm) than 1972 Mercury Montego. (248 Nm @ 1600 RPM). This means 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1972 Mercury Montego.
Compare all specifications:
| 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air | 1972 Mercury Montego | |
| Make | Chevrolet | Mercury |
| Model | Bel Air | Montego |
| Year Released | 1957 | 1972 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3860 cc | 4095 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 115 HP | 97 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4200 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 277 Nm | 248 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2200 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 90.5 mm | 93.5 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 100 mm | 99.3 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 6 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1626 kg | 1695 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5320 mm | 5300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1980 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1450 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2990 mm | 3010 mm |
