1973 Mercury Monterey vs. 1978 Reliant SE6
To start off, 1978 Reliant SE6 is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Mercury Monterey. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Mercury Monterey would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Monterey is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Monterey (163 HP @ 3800 RPM) has 29 more horse power than 1978 Reliant SE6. (134 HP @ 5500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Monterey should accelerate faster than 1978 Reliant SE6. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Monterey weights approximately 680 kg more than 1978 Reliant SE6. 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 Monterey (383 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 150 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Reliant SE6. (233 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Monterey will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Reliant SE6. 1973 Mercury Monterey has automatic transmission and 1978 Reliant SE6 has manual transmission. 1978 Reliant SE6 will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1973 Mercury Monterey will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1973 Mercury Monterey | 1978 Reliant SE6 | |
| Make | Mercury | Reliant |
| Model | Monterey | SE6 |
| Year Released | 1973 | 1978 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 2994 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Horse Power | 163 HP | 134 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3800 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 383 Nm | 233 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Vehicle Weight | 1930 kg | 1250 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5720 mm | 4450 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2030 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1380 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3160 mm | 2650 mm |
