1963 Ford Cortina vs. 1978 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1978 Mercury Cougar is newer by 15 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1963 Ford Cortina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1963 Ford Cortina would be higher. At 4,941 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Mercury Cougar (133 HP @ 3400 RPM) has 27 more horse power than 1963 Ford Cortina. (106 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1978 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1963 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 1015 kg more than 1963 Ford Cortina. 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, 1978 Mercury Cougar (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 187 more torque (in Nm) than 1963 Ford Cortina. (149 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1963 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1963 Ford Cortina | 1978 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Cortina | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1963 | 1978 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1558 cc | 4941 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 106 HP | 133 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 149 Nm | 336 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 840 kg | 1855 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4280 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1590 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1400 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2500 mm | 2910 mm |
