1973 Mercury Cougar vs. 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata
To start off, 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata is newer by 34 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Cougar (168 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 10 more horse power than 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata. (158 HP @ 6700 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 495 kg more than 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata. 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, 1973 Mercury Cougar (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 175 more torque (in Nm) than 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata. (188 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
Compare all specifications:
| 1973 Mercury Cougar | 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata | |
| Make | Mercury | Mazda |
| Model | Cougar | MX-5 Miata |
| Year Released | 1973 | 2007 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Convertible |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 1999 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 168 HP | 158 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 6700 RPM |
| Torque | 363 Nm | 188 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline - Premium |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1650 kg | 1155 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5080 mm | 4000 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1730 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1310 mm | 1250 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2340 mm |
