1966 Mercury Cyclone vs. 1971 Opel Ascona
To start off, 1971 Opel Ascona is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1966 Mercury Cyclone. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1966 Mercury Cyclone would be higher. At 6,393 cc (8 cylinders), 1966 Mercury Cyclone is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1966 Mercury Cyclone (335 HP @ 4800 RPM) has 276 more horse power than 1971 Opel Ascona. (59 HP @ 5400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1966 Mercury Cyclone should accelerate faster than 1971 Opel Ascona. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1966 Mercury Cyclone weights approximately 722 kg more than 1971 Opel Ascona. 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 Cyclone (579 Nm @ 3200 RPM) has 489 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Opel Ascona. (90 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1966 Mercury Cyclone will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Opel Ascona. 1966 Mercury Cyclone has automatic transmission and 1971 Opel Ascona has manual transmission. 1971 Opel Ascona will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1966 Mercury Cyclone will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1966 Mercury Cyclone | 1971 Opel Ascona | |
| Make | Mercury | Opel |
| Model | Cyclone | Ascona |
| Year Released | 1966 | 1971 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 6393 cc | 1196 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 335 HP | 59 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4800 RPM | 5400 RPM |
| Torque | 579 Nm | 90 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3200 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 103 mm | 79.1 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 96 mm | 61 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Vehicle Weight | 1632 kg | 910 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4980 mm | 4140 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1880 mm | 1640 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1400 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2950 mm | 2440 mm |
