1974 Mercury Cougar vs. 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis
To start off, 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis is newer by 37 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, 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis (224 HP @ 4800 RPM) has 63 more horse power than 1974 Mercury Cougar. (161 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis should accelerate faster than 1974 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 292 kg more than 1974 Mercury Cougar. 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 10 more torque (in Nm) than 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis. (372 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1974 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis. 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis 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. 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1974 Mercury Cougar | 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis | |
| Make | Mercury | Mercury |
| Model | Cougar | Grand Marquis |
| Year Released | 1974 | 2011 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5752 cc | 4600 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 161 HP | 224 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Torque | 382 Nm | 372 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Flex Fuel |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1575 kg | 1867 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5010 mm | 5385 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1989 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1300 mm | 1430 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2911 mm |
