1974 Mercury Cougar vs. 2005 Nissan 350Z
To start off, 2005 Nissan 350Z is newer by 31 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, 2005 Nissan 350Z (287 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 126 more horse power than 1974 Mercury Cougar. (161 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2005 Nissan 350Z should accelerate faster than 1974 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1974 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 76 kg more than 2005 Nissan 350Z.
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) has 10 more torque (in Nm) than 2005 Nissan 350Z. (372 Nm). This means 1974 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2005 Nissan 350Z.
Compare all specifications:
| 1974 Mercury Cougar | 2005 Nissan 350Z | |
| Make | Mercury | Nissan |
| Model | Cougar | 350Z |
| Year Released | 1974 | 2005 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Convertible |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5752 cc | 3491 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 161 HP | 287 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 382 Nm | 372 Nm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.6:1 | 10.3:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1575 kg | 1499 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5010 mm | 4310 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1820 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1300 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2540 mm |
