1973 Mercury Montego vs. 1970 Reliant Bug
To start off, 1973 Mercury Montego is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Reliant Bug. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Reliant Bug would be higher. At 6,555 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Montego is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Montego (169 HP @ 4200 RPM) has 138 more horse power than 1970 Reliant Bug. (31 HP @ 5000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Montego should accelerate faster than 1970 Reliant Bug. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Montego weights approximately 1383 kg more than 1970 Reliant Bug. 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 Montego (403 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 351 more torque (in Nm) than 1970 Reliant Bug. (52 Nm @ 2500 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Montego will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1970 Reliant Bug. 1973 Mercury Montego has automatic transmission and 1970 Reliant Bug has manual transmission. 1970 Reliant Bug will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1973 Mercury Montego will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1973 Mercury Montego | 1970 Reliant Bug | |
| Make | Mercury | Reliant |
| Model | Montego | Bug |
| Year Released | 1973 | 1970 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 6555 cc | 701 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 169 HP | 31 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4200 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Torque | 403 Nm | 52 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2200 RPM | 2500 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 101.6 mm | 60.5 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 101.6 mm | 61 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.4:1 | 8.4:1 |
| Top Speed | 185 km/hour | 121 km/hour |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 2 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1791 kg | 408 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5290 mm | 2800 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2000 mm | 1400 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1320 mm | 1280 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2900 mm | 1960 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 85 L | 23 L |
