1974 Lotus Eclat vs. 1981 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1981 Mercury Cougar is newer by 7 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1974 Lotus Eclat. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1974 Lotus Eclat would be higher. At 3,797 cc (6 cylinders), 1981 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1974 Lotus Eclat (160 HP @ 6200 RPM) has 46 more horse power than 1981 Mercury Cougar. (114 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1974 Lotus Eclat should accelerate faster than 1981 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 250 kg more than 1974 Lotus Eclat.
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 Mercury Cougar (237 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 47 more torque (in Nm) than 1974 Lotus Eclat. (190 Nm @ 4900 RPM). This means 1981 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1974 Lotus Eclat.
Compare all specifications:
| 1974 Lotus Eclat | 1981 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Eclat | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1974 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1973 cc | 3797 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 160 HP | 114 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6200 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 190 Nm | 237 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4900 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1106 kg | 1356 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4460 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1820 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1200 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2690 mm |
