1973 Mercury Montego vs. 1981 BMW M1
To start off, 1981 BMW M1 is newer by 8 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, 1981 BMW M1 (273 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 177 more horse power than 1973 Mercury Montego. (96 HP @ 3600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1981 BMW M1 should accelerate faster than 1973 Mercury Montego. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Montego weights approximately 395 kg more than 1981 BMW M1.
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, 1981 BMW M1 (330 Nm @ 5000 RPM) has 82 more torque (in Nm) than 1973 Mercury Montego. (248 Nm @ 1600 RPM). This means 1981 BMW M1 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1973 Mercury Montego.
Compare all specifications:
| 1973 Mercury Montego | 1981 BMW M1 | |
| Make | Mercury | BMW |
| Model | Montego | M1 |
| Year Released | 1973 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Middle |
| Engine Size | 4095 cc | 3453 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 96 HP | 273 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3600 RPM | 6500 RPM |
| Torque | 248 Nm | 330 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1600 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 93.6 mm | 93.5 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 99.3 mm | 84 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.0:1 | 9.0:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 6 seats | 2 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1695 kg | 1300 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5300 mm | 4370 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2010 mm | 1830 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1350 mm | 1140 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3010 mm | 2570 mm |
