1968 Buick Riviera vs. 1980 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1980 Mercury Cougar is newer by 12 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 189 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (116 HP @ 3400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1968 Buick Riviera should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1968 Buick Riviera weights approximately 490 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, 1968 Buick Riviera (645 Nm @ 3200 RPM) has 381 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (264 Nm @ 2200 RPM). This means 1968 Buick Riviera will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1968 Buick Riviera | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Buick | Mercury |
| Model | Riviera | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1968 | 1980 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 7050 cc | 4184 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 305 HP | 116 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5000 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 645 Nm | 264 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3200 RPM | 2200 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1900 kg | 1410 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5370 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2020 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3030 mm | 2690 mm |
