1958 Austin Princess vs. 1973 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1973 Mercury Cougar is newer by 15 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1958 Austin Princess. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1958 Austin Princess would be higher. At 6,589 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Cougar (168 HP @ 3800 RPM) has 49 more horse power than 1958 Austin Princess. (119 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1958 Austin Princess. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1958 Austin Princess weights approximately 125 kg more than 1973 Mercury Cougar.
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, 1973 Mercury Cougar (375 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 124 more torque (in Nm) than 1958 Austin Princess. (251 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1958 Austin Princess.
Compare all specifications:
| 1958 Austin Princess | 1973 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Austin | Mercury |
| Model | Princess | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1958 | 1973 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3993 cc | 6589 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 119 HP | 168 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 251 Nm | 375 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 2180 kg | 2055 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5470 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1900 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1780 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3360 mm | 2910 mm |
