1959 Abarth 850 vs. 1980 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1980 Mercury Cougar is newer by 21 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1959 Abarth 850. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1959 Abarth 850 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 27 more horse power than 1959 Abarth 850. (70 HP @ 6800 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1980 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1959 Abarth 850. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 760 kg more than 1959 Abarth 850. 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 138 more torque (in Nm) than 1959 Abarth 850. (80 Nm @ 4800 RPM). This means 1980 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1959 Abarth 850.
Compare all specifications:
| 1959 Abarth 850 | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Abarth | Mercury |
| Model | 850 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1959 | 1980 |
| Engine Position | Rear | Front |
| Engine Size | 847 cc | 3271 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 70 HP | 97 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6800 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 80 Nm | 218 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4800 RPM | 1400 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 570 kg | 1330 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3480 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1360 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1150 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2010 mm | 2690 mm |
