1971 Mercury Monterey vs. 1980 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1980 Mercury Cougar is newer by 9 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Mercury Monterey. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Mercury Monterey would be higher. At 5,768 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Mercury Monterey is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Mercury Monterey (163 HP @ 3800 RPM) has 73 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (90 HP @ 4600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1971 Mercury Monterey should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Mercury Monterey weights approximately 615 kg more than 1980 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 Monterey (383 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 219 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (164 Nm @ 2600 RPM). This means 1971 Mercury Monterey will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Mercury Monterey | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Mercury | Mercury |
| Model | Monterey | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1980 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5768 cc | 2301 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 163 HP | 90 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3800 RPM | 4600 RPM |
| Torque | 383 Nm | 164 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 101.6 mm | 96 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 88.8 mm | 79.5 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1930 kg | 1315 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5720 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2030 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1380 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3160 mm | 2690 mm |
