1963 Lotus Elan vs. 1973 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1973 Mercury Cougar is newer by 10 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1963 Lotus Elan. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1963 Lotus Elan would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Cougar (168 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 68 more horse power than 1963 Lotus Elan. (100 HP @ 5700 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1963 Lotus Elan. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 1056 kg more than 1963 Lotus Elan. 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, 1973 Mercury Cougar (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 225 more torque (in Nm) than 1963 Lotus Elan. (138 Nm @ 3750 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1963 Lotus Elan.
Compare all specifications:
| 1963 Lotus Elan | 1973 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Elan | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1963 | 1973 |
| Body Type | Convertible | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1498 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 100 HP | 168 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5700 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 138 Nm | 363 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3750 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 81 mm | 101.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 72.7 mm | 88.8 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 594 kg | 1650 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3700 mm | 5080 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1430 mm | 1920 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1150 mm | 1310 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2140 mm | 2860 mm |
