1968 Mercury Cougar vs. 1968 Sunbeam Rapier
To start off, both 1968 Mercury Cougar and 1968 Sunbeam Rapier were released in the same year (1968). Therefore the support and the availability on parts for both vehicles should be relatively similar. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1968 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1968 Mercury Cougar (194 HP @ 5400 RPM) has 115 more horse power than 1968 Sunbeam Rapier. (79 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1968 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1968 Sunbeam Rapier. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1968 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 570 kg more than 1968 Sunbeam Rapier. 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 Mercury Cougar (297 Nm @ 3400 RPM) has 171 more torque (in Nm) than 1968 Sunbeam Rapier. (126 Nm @ 3800 RPM). This means 1968 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1968 Sunbeam Rapier.
Compare all specifications:
| 1968 Mercury Cougar | 1968 Sunbeam Rapier | |
| Make | Mercury | Sunbeam |
| Model | Cougar | Rapier |
| Year Released | 1968 | 1968 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 1725 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 194 HP | 79 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5400 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 297 Nm | 126 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3400 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1600 kg | 1030 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4990 mm | 4440 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1890 mm | 1670 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1320 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2830 mm | 2510 mm |
