1966 Mercury Comet vs. 1980 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1980 Mercury Cougar is newer by 14 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 4,184 cc (8 cylinders), 1980 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1966 Mercury Comet (118 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 2 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (116 HP @ 3400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1966 Mercury Comet should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1966 Mercury Comet weights approximately 252 kg more than 1980 Mercury Cougar. 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, 1980 Mercury Cougar (264 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 6 more torque (in Nm) than 1966 Mercury Comet. (258 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1980 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1966 Mercury Comet.
Compare all specifications:
| 1966 Mercury Comet | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Mercury | Mercury |
| Model | Comet | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1966 | 1980 |
| Body Type | Convertible | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3279 cc | 4184 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 118 HP | 116 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4400 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 258 Nm | 264 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 2200 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1662 kg | 1410 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5180 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1880 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1380 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2950 mm | 2690 mm |
