1971 Ford Escort vs. 1972 Mercury Montego
To start off, 1972 Mercury Montego is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Ford Escort. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Ford Escort would be higher. At 4,095 cc (6 cylinders), 1972 Mercury Montego is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1972 Mercury Montego (97 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 59 more horse power than 1971 Ford Escort. (38 HP @ 5300 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1972 Mercury Montego should accelerate faster than 1971 Ford Escort. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1972 Mercury Montego weights approximately 890 kg more than 1971 Ford Escort. 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, 1972 Mercury Montego (248 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 180 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Ford Escort. (68 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1972 Mercury Montego will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Ford Escort.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Ford Escort | 1972 Mercury Montego | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Escort | Montego |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1972 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1098 cc | 4095 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 38 HP | 97 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5300 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 68 Nm | 248 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 6 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 805 kg | 1695 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3990 mm | 5300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1580 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1360 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2400 mm | 3010 mm |
