1970 Mercury Cougar vs. 2009 BMW 523
To start off, 2009 BMW 523 is newer by 39 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, 2009 BMW 523 (175 HP @ 5800 RPM) has 8 more horse power than 1970 Mercury Cougar. (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2009 BMW 523 should accelerate faster than 1970 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 85 kg more than 2009 BMW 523.
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 133 more torque (in Nm) than 2009 BMW 523. (230 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2009 BMW 523. 2009 BMW 523 has automatic transmission and 1970 Mercury Cougar has manual transmission. 1970 Mercury Cougar will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 2009 BMW 523 will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1970 Mercury Cougar | 2009 BMW 523 | |
| Make | Mercury | BMW |
| Model | Cougar | 523 |
| Year Released | 1970 | 2009 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 2497 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 167 HP | 175 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5800 RPM |
| Torque | 363 Nm | 230 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 3500 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 101.7 mm | 82.1 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 88.8 mm | 78.8 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.6:1 | 11.0:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline - Premium |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1650 kg | 1565 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5840 mm | 4850 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2000 mm | 1850 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1470 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2890 mm |
