1973 Mercury Cougar vs. 2009 Ford Falcon
To start off, 2009 Ford Falcon is newer by 36 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, 2009 Ford Falcon (362 HP @ 5250 RPM) has 194 more horse power than 1973 Mercury Cougar. (168 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2009 Ford Falcon should accelerate faster than 1973 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2009 Ford Falcon weights approximately 54 kg more than 1973 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, 2009 Ford Falcon (533 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 170 more torque (in Nm) than 1973 Mercury Cougar. (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 2009 Ford Falcon will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1973 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1973 Mercury Cougar | 2009 Ford Falcon | |
| Make | Mercury | Ford |
| Model | Cougar | Falcon |
| Year Released | 1973 | 2009 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 3983 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 168 HP | 362 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5250 RPM |
| Torque | 363 Nm | 533 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 101.6 mm | 92.3 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 88.8 mm | 99.3 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1650 kg | 1704 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5080 mm | 4967 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1868 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1310 mm | 1433 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2838 mm |
