1973 Mazda RX-3 vs. 1976 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1976 Mercury Cougar is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Mazda RX-3. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Mazda RX-3 would be higher. At 5,766 cc (8 cylinders), 1976 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1976 Mercury Cougar (152 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 52 more horse power than 1973 Mazda RX-3. (100 HP @ 7000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1976 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1973 Mazda RX-3. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1976 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 1178 kg more than 1973 Mazda RX-3. 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, 1976 Mercury Cougar (377 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 242 more torque (in Nm) than 1973 Mazda RX-3. (135 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1976 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1973 Mazda RX-3.
Compare all specifications:
| 1973 Mazda RX-3 | 1976 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Mazda | Mercury |
| Model | RX-3 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1973 | 1976 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1964 cc | 5766 cc |
| Engine Type | dual-disk rotary | in-line |
| Horse Power | 100 HP | 152 HP |
| Engine RPM | 7000 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 135 Nm | 377 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 852 kg | 2030 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4090 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1600 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1380 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2320 mm | 2910 mm |
