1970 Mercury Cougar vs. 2010 Volkswagen Beetle
To start off, 2010 Volkswagen Beetle is newer by 40 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 2010 Volkswagen Beetle. (148 HP @ 5800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1970 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 2010 Volkswagen Beetle.
Because 1970 Mercury Cougar is rear wheel drive (RWD), it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, it will be much easier to do with 1970 Mercury Cougar. However, in wet, icy, snow, or gravel driving conditions, 2010 Volkswagen Beetle, being front wheel drive (FWD), will offer much better control with better grip. 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 142 more torque (in Nm) than 2010 Volkswagen Beetle. (221 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2010 Volkswagen Beetle.
Compare all specifications:
| 1970 Mercury Cougar | 2010 Volkswagen Beetle | |
| Make | Mercury | Volkswagen |
| Model | Cougar | Beetle |
| Year Released | 1970 | 2010 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 1781 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 5 valves |
| Horse Power | 167 HP | 148 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5800 RPM |
| Torque | 363 Nm | 221 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 101.7 mm | 81 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 88.8 mm | 86.4 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Front |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Length | 5840 mm | 4090 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2000 mm | 1730 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1500 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2510 mm |
