1971 Mercury Cougar vs. 2012 Dodge Charger
To start off, 2012 Dodge Charger is newer by 41 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, 2012 Dodge Charger (292 HP @ 6350 RPM) has 125 more horse power than 1971 Mercury Cougar. (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2012 Dodge Charger should accelerate faster than 1971 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2012 Dodge Charger weights approximately 163 kg more than 1971 Mercury Cougar. 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 Cougar (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 11 more torque (in Nm) than 2012 Dodge Charger. (352 Nm @ 4800 RPM). This means 1971 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2012 Dodge Charger.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Mercury Cougar | 2012 Dodge Charger | |
| Make | Mercury | Dodge |
| Model | Cougar | Charger |
| Year Released | 1971 | 2012 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 3600 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 167 HP | 292 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 6350 RPM |
| Torque | 363 Nm | 352 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Flex Fuel |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1650 kg | 1813 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5080 mm | 5077 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1905 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1310 mm | 1483 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 3053 mm |
