1970 Mercury Cougar vs. 2011 Lexus IS
To start off, 2011 Lexus IS 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 Lexus IS (204 HP @ 6400 RPM) has 37 more horse power than 1970 Mercury Cougar. (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2011 Lexus IS should accelerate faster than 1970 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2011 Lexus IS weights approximately 92 kg more than 1970 Mercury Cougar. 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 112 more torque (in Nm) than 2011 Lexus IS. (251 Nm @ 4800 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2011 Lexus IS. 2011 Lexus IS 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. 2011 Lexus IS will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1970 Mercury Cougar | 2011 Lexus IS | |
| Make | Mercury | Lexus |
| Model | Cougar | IS |
| Year Released | 1970 | 2011 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 2500 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 167 HP | 204 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 6400 RPM |
| Torque | 363 Nm | 251 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | 6-speed shiftable automatic |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1650 kg | 1742 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5840 mm | 4633 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2000 mm | 1801 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1415 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2731 mm |
