1972 Ford Cortina vs. 1978 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1978 Mercury Cougar is newer by 6 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1972 Ford Cortina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1972 Ford Cortina would be higher. At 4,941 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Mercury Cougar (133 HP @ 3400 RPM) has 77 more horse power than 1972 Ford Cortina. (56 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1978 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1972 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 811 kg more than 1972 Ford Cortina. 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, 1978 Mercury Cougar (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 245 more torque (in Nm) than 1972 Ford Cortina. (91 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1972 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1972 Ford Cortina | 1978 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Cortina | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1972 | 1978 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1298 cc | 4941 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 56 HP | 133 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 91 Nm | 336 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1044 kg | 1855 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4280 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1330 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2590 mm | 2910 mm |
