1974 Mercury Cougar vs. 1978 Holden Sunbird
To start off, 1978 Holden Sunbird is newer by 4 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1974 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1974 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,752 cc (8 cylinders), 1974 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1974 Mercury Cougar (161 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 65 more horse power than 1978 Holden Sunbird. (96 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1974 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1978 Holden Sunbird. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1974 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 415 kg more than 1978 Holden Sunbird. 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, 1974 Mercury Cougar (382 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 225 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Holden Sunbird. (157 Nm @ 3600 RPM). This means 1974 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Holden Sunbird. 1978 Holden Sunbird has automatic transmission and 1974 Mercury Cougar has manual transmission. 1974 Mercury Cougar will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1978 Holden Sunbird will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1974 Mercury Cougar | 1978 Holden Sunbird | |
| Make | Mercury | Holden |
| Model | Cougar | Sunbird |
| Year Released | 1974 | 1978 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5752 cc | 1897 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 161 HP | 96 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 382 Nm | 157 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Vehicle Weight | 1575 kg | 1160 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5010 mm | 4500 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1300 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2590 mm |
