1968 Buick Riviera vs. 1976 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1976 Mercury Cougar is newer by 8 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1968 Buick Riviera. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1968 Buick Riviera would be higher. At 7,050 cc (8 cylinders), 1968 Buick Riviera is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1968 Buick Riviera (305 HP @ 5000 RPM) has 153 more horse power than 1976 Mercury Cougar. (152 HP @ 3600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1968 Buick Riviera should accelerate faster than 1976 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1976 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 130 kg more than 1968 Buick Riviera.
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, 1968 Buick Riviera (645 Nm @ 3200 RPM) has 268 more torque (in Nm) than 1976 Mercury Cougar. (377 Nm @ 1800 RPM). This means 1968 Buick Riviera will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1976 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1968 Buick Riviera | 1976 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Buick | Mercury |
| Model | Riviera | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1968 | 1976 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 7050 cc | 5766 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 305 HP | 152 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5000 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 645 Nm | 377 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3200 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1900 kg | 2030 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5370 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2020 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3030 mm | 2910 mm |
