1971 Ford Cortina vs. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis
To start off, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is newer by 7 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Ford Cortina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Ford Cortina would be higher. At 5,766 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis (139 HP @ 3200 RPM) has 83 more horse power than 1971 Ford Cortina. (56 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis should accelerate faster than 1971 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 670 kg more than 1971 Ford Cortina. 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, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis (353 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 262 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Ford Cortina. (91 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Ford Cortina | 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Cortina | Grand Marquis |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1978 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1298 cc | 5766 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 56 HP | 139 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Torque | 91 Nm | 353 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 2200 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1040 kg | 1710 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4280 mm | 5400 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1980 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1330 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2590 mm | 2910 mm |
