1973 Mercury Montego vs. 1978 Fiat 131
To start off, 1978 Fiat 131 is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Mercury Montego. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Mercury Montego would be higher. At 4,095 cc (6 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Montego is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Montego (96 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 37 more horse power than 1978 Fiat 131. (59 HP @ 4400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Montego should accelerate faster than 1978 Fiat 131. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Montego weights approximately 515 kg more than 1978 Fiat 131. 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 (248 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 135 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Fiat 131. (113 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Montego will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Fiat 131. 1978 Fiat 131 has automatic transmission and 1973 Mercury Montego has manual transmission. 1973 Mercury Montego will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1978 Fiat 131 will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1973 Mercury Montego | 1978 Fiat 131 | |
| Make | Mercury | Fiat |
| Model | Montego | 131 |
| Year Released | 1973 | 1978 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4095 cc | 1995 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 96 HP | 59 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3600 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 248 Nm | 113 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1600 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 93.6 mm | 88 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 99.3 mm | 82 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.0:1 | 22.0:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Diesel |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 6 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1695 kg | 1180 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5300 mm | 4270 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2010 mm | 1660 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1350 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3010 mm | 2500 mm |
