1970 Mercury Cougar vs. 2011 BMW 320
To start off, 2011 BMW 320 is newer by 41 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, 2011 BMW 320 (182 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 15 more horse power than 1970 Mercury Cougar. (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2011 BMW 320 should accelerate faster than 1970 Mercury Cougar.
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, 2011 BMW 320 (380 Nm @ 2750 RPM) has 17 more torque (in Nm) than 1970 Mercury Cougar. (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 2011 BMW 320 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1970 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1970 Mercury Cougar | 2011 BMW 320 | |
| Make | Mercury | BMW |
| Model | Cougar | 320 |
| Year Released | 1970 | 2011 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 1995 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 167 HP | 182 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 363 Nm | 380 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 2750 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 101.7 mm | 90 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 88.8 mm | 84 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Diesel |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | 6-speed manual |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Length | 5840 mm | 4624 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2000 mm | 1811 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1384 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2810 mm |
