1970 AMC Gremlin vs. 1981 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1981 Mercury Cougar is newer by 11 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 AMC Gremlin. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 AMC Gremlin would be higher. At 4,228 cc (6 cylinders), 1970 AMC Gremlin is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Mercury Cougar (114 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 4 more horse power than 1970 AMC Gremlin. (110 HP @ 3500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1981 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1970 AMC Gremlin. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 180 kg more than 1970 AMC Gremlin. 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, 1970 AMC Gremlin (265 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 28 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Mercury Cougar. (237 Nm @ 2600 RPM). This means 1970 AMC Gremlin will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1970 AMC Gremlin | 1981 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | AMC | Mercury |
| Model | Gremlin | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1970 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Hatchback | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4228 cc | 3797 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 110 HP | 114 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 265 Nm | 237 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1176 kg | 1356 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4100 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1800 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1320 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2690 mm |
