1966 Mercury Comet vs. 1971 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1971 Mercury Cougar is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1966 Mercury Comet. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1966 Mercury Comet would be higher. At 6,393 cc (8 cylinders), 1966 Mercury Comet is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1966 Mercury Comet (405 HP @ 5600 RPM) has 238 more horse power than 1971 Mercury Cougar. (167 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1966 Mercury Comet should accelerate faster than 1971 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, 1966 Mercury Comet (645 Nm @ 3400 RPM) has 282 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Mercury Cougar. (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1966 Mercury Comet will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1966 Mercury Comet | 1971 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Mercury | Mercury |
| Model | Comet | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1966 | 1971 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 6393 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 405 HP | 167 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5600 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 645 Nm | 363 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3400 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Length | 5180 mm | 5080 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1880 mm | 1920 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1310 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2950 mm | 2860 mm |
