1973 Mazda RX-4 vs. 1968 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1973 Mazda RX-4 is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1968 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1968 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1968 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1968 Mercury Cougar (194 HP @ 5400 RPM) has 80 more horse power than 1973 Mazda RX-4. (114 HP @ 6000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1968 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1973 Mazda RX-4. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1968 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 490 kg more than 1973 Mazda RX-4. 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, 1968 Mercury Cougar (297 Nm @ 3400 RPM) has 132 more torque (in Nm) than 1973 Mazda RX-4. (165 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1968 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1973 Mazda RX-4.
Compare all specifications:
| 1973 Mazda RX-4 | 1968 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Mazda | Mercury |
| Model | RX-4 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1973 | 1968 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2616 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Type | dual-disk rotary | in-line |
| Horse Power | 114 HP | 194 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 5400 RPM |
| Torque | 165 Nm | 297 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1110 kg | 1600 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4400 mm | 4990 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1670 mm | 1890 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1320 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2520 mm | 2830 mm |
