1970 Mercury Cougar vs. 1976 Volvo 260
To start off, 1976 Volvo 260 is newer by 6 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1970 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1970 Mercury Cougar (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 19 more horse power than 1976 Volvo 260. (148 HP @ 5700 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1970 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1976 Volvo 260. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 300 kg more than 1976 Volvo 260. 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 Mercury Cougar (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 145 more torque (in Nm) than 1976 Volvo 260. (218 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1976 Volvo 260.
Compare all specifications:
| 1970 Mercury Cougar | 1976 Volvo 260 | |
| Make | Mercury | Volvo |
| Model | Cougar | 260 |
| Year Released | 1970 | 1976 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 2664 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 167 HP | 148 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5700 RPM |
| Torque | 363 Nm | 218 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 101.7 mm | 88 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 88.8 mm | 73 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.6:1 | 9.5:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Vehicle Weight | 1650 kg | 1350 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5840 mm | 4890 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2000 mm | 1720 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1440 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2660 mm |
