1971 Mercury Comet vs. 1976 Sunbeam Rapier
To start off, 1976 Sunbeam Rapier is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Mercury Comet. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Mercury Comet would be higher. At 2,782 cc (6 cylinders), 1971 Mercury Comet is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Mercury Comet (82 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 3 more horse power than 1976 Sunbeam Rapier. (79 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1971 Mercury Comet should accelerate faster than 1976 Sunbeam Rapier. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Mercury Comet weights approximately 194 kg more than 1976 Sunbeam Rapier. 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, 1971 Mercury Comet (178 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 52 more torque (in Nm) than 1976 Sunbeam Rapier. (126 Nm @ 3800 RPM). This means 1971 Mercury Comet will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1976 Sunbeam Rapier.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Mercury Comet | 1976 Sunbeam Rapier | |
| Make | Mercury | Sunbeam |
| Model | Comet | Rapier |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1976 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2782 cc | 1725 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 82 HP | 79 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4400 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 178 Nm | 126 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1800 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1224 kg | 1030 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4800 mm | 4440 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1800 mm | 1670 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1360 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2800 mm | 2510 mm |
