1974 AMC Matador vs. 1972 Mercury Monterey
To start off, 1974 AMC Matador is newer by 2 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1972 Mercury Monterey. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1972 Mercury Monterey would be higher. At 5,896 cc (8 cylinders), 1974 AMC Matador is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1974 AMC Matador (220 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 56 more horse power than 1972 Mercury Monterey. (164 HP @ 3800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1974 AMC Matador should accelerate faster than 1972 Mercury Monterey. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1972 Mercury Monterey weights approximately 138 kg more than 1974 AMC Matador.
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, 1974 AMC Matador (427 Nm @ 3100 RPM) has 44 more torque (in Nm) than 1972 Mercury Monterey. (383 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1974 AMC Matador will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1972 Mercury Monterey.
Compare all specifications:
| 1974 AMC Matador | 1972 Mercury Monterey | |
| Make | AMC | Mercury |
| Model | Matador | Monterey |
| Year Released | 1974 | 1972 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5896 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 220 HP | 164 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4400 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 427 Nm | 383 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3100 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 103.6 mm | 101.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 87.4 mm | 88.8 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Automatic |
| Vehicle Weight | 1792 kg | 1930 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5320 mm | 5720 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1970 mm | 2030 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1320 mm | 1380 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2900 mm | 3160 mm |
