1974 Mercury Cougar vs. 2001 BMW Z3
To start off, 2001 BMW Z3 is newer by 27 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, 2001 BMW Z3 (229 HP @ 5900 RPM) has 68 more horse power than 1974 Mercury Cougar. (161 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2001 BMW Z3 should accelerate faster than 1974 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1974 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 170 kg more than 2001 BMW Z3.
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 82 more torque (in Nm) than 2001 BMW Z3. (300 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1974 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2001 BMW Z3.
Compare all specifications:
| 1974 Mercury Cougar | 2001 BMW Z3 | |
| Make | Mercury | BMW |
| Model | Cougar | Z3 |
| Year Released | 1974 | 2001 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5752 cc | 2990 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 161 HP | 229 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5900 RPM |
| Torque | 382 Nm | 300 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 3500 RPM |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.6:1 | 10.2:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1575 kg | 1405 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5010 mm | 4030 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1750 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1300 mm | 1310 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2450 mm |
