1966 Mercury Comet vs. 1971 Reliant Scimitar
To start off, 1971 Reliant Scimitar 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 (268 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 145 more horse power than 1971 Reliant Scimitar. (123 HP @ 4750 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1966 Mercury Comet should accelerate faster than 1971 Reliant Scimitar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1966 Mercury Comet weights approximately 585 kg more than 1971 Reliant Scimitar. 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, 1966 Mercury Comet (546 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 280 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Reliant Scimitar. (266 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1966 Mercury Comet will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Reliant Scimitar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1966 Mercury Comet | 1971 Reliant Scimitar | |
| Make | Mercury | Reliant |
| Model | Comet | Scimitar |
| Year Released | 1966 | 1971 |
| Body Type | Convertible | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 6393 cc | 2992 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Horse Power | 268 HP | 123 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4400 RPM | 4750 RPM |
| Torque | 546 Nm | 266 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1775 kg | 1190 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5180 mm | 4350 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1880 mm | 1650 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1380 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2950 mm | 2540 mm |
