1971 Mercury Cougar vs. 2001 Lexus IS
To start off, 2001 Lexus IS is newer by 30 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2001 Lexus IS (201 HP @ 6200 RPM) has 34 more horse power than 1971 Mercury Cougar. (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2001 Lexus IS should accelerate faster than 1971 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 250 kg more than 2001 Lexus IS.
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 Cougar (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 116 more torque (in Nm) than 2001 Lexus IS. (247 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1971 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2001 Lexus IS.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Mercury Cougar | 2001 Lexus IS | |
| Make | Mercury | Lexus |
| Model | Cougar | IS |
| Year Released | 1971 | 2001 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 1988 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 167 HP | 201 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 6200 RPM |
| Torque | 363 Nm | 247 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1650 kg | 1400 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5080 mm | 4410 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1730 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1310 mm | 1430 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2680 mm |
