1974 Mercury Cougar vs. 1999 Pontiac Firebird
To start off, 1999 Pontiac Firebird is newer by 25 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 13 more horse power than 1999 Pontiac Firebird. (148 HP @ 5600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1974 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1999 Pontiac Firebird. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1999 Pontiac Firebird weights approximately 11 kg more than 1974 Mercury Cougar.
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, 1999 Pontiac Firebird (454 Nm) has 72 more torque (in Nm) than 1974 Mercury Cougar. (382 Nm). This means 1999 Pontiac Firebird will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1974 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1974 Mercury Cougar | 1999 Pontiac Firebird | |
| Make | Mercury | Pontiac |
| Model | Cougar | Firebird |
| Year Released | 1974 | 1999 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5752 cc | 5700 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 161 HP | 148 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5600 RPM |
| Torque | 382 Nm | 454 Nm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1575 kg | 1586 kg |
| Vehicle Height | 1300 mm | 1900 mm |
