1970 Lotus Seven vs. 1973 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1973 Mercury Cougar is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Lotus Seven. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Lotus Seven would be higher. At 7,542 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Cougar (213 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 128 more horse power than 1970 Lotus Seven. (85 HP @ 6000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1970 Lotus Seven. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 1515 kg more than 1970 Lotus Seven. 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, 1973 Mercury Cougar (498 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 373 more torque (in Nm) than 1970 Lotus Seven. (125 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1970 Lotus Seven.
Compare all specifications:
| 1970 Lotus Seven | 1973 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Seven | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1970 | 1973 |
| Body Type | Roadster | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1340 cc | 7542 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 85 HP | 213 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 125 Nm | 498 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 590 kg | 2105 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3710 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1540 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1110 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2240 mm | 2910 mm |
