1959 Abarth Spider Riviera vs. 1977 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1977 Mercury Cougar is newer by 18 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1959 Abarth Spider Riviera. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1959 Abarth Spider Riviera would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1977 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1977 Mercury Cougar (133 HP @ 3400 RPM) has 86 more horse power than 1959 Abarth Spider Riviera. (47 HP @ 5900 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1977 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1959 Abarth Spider Riviera. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1977 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 1245 kg more than 1959 Abarth Spider Riviera. 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, 1977 Mercury Cougar (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 279 more torque (in Nm) than 1959 Abarth Spider Riviera. (57 Nm @ 3600 RPM). This means 1977 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1959 Abarth Spider Riviera.
Compare all specifications:
| 1959 Abarth Spider Riviera | 1977 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Abarth | Mercury |
| Model | Spider Riviera | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1959 | 1977 |
| Body Type | Convertible | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Rear | Front |
| Engine Size | 785 cc | 4942 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 47 HP | 133 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5900 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 57 Nm | 336 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3600 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 610 kg | 1855 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3640 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1410 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1200 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2010 mm | 2910 mm |
