1971 Mercury Cougar vs. 2003 Opel Speedster
To start off, 2003 Opel Speedster is newer by 32 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, 2003 Opel Speedster (197 HP @ 5500 RPM) has 30 more horse power than 1971 Mercury Cougar. (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2003 Opel Speedster should accelerate faster than 1971 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 645 kg more than 2003 Opel Speedster.
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 113 more torque (in Nm) than 2003 Opel Speedster. (250 Nm @ 1950 RPM). This means 1971 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2003 Opel Speedster.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Mercury Cougar | 2003 Opel Speedster | |
| Make | Mercury | Opel |
| Model | Cougar | Speedster |
| Year Released | 1971 | 2003 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Convertible |
| Engine Position | Front | Middle |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 1993 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 167 HP | 197 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 363 Nm | 250 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 1950 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline - Premium |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1650 kg | 1005 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5080 mm | 3790 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1310 mm | 1120 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2400 mm |
