1976 Bitter Diplomat vs. 1973 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1976 Bitter Diplomat is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1976 Bitter Diplomat (228 HP @ 4700 RPM) has 60 more horse power than 1973 Mercury Cougar. (168 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1976 Bitter Diplomat should accelerate faster than 1973 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1976 Bitter Diplomat weights approximately 30 kg more than 1973 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, 1976 Bitter Diplomat (419 Nm @ 3100 RPM) has 56 more torque (in Nm) than 1973 Mercury Cougar. (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1976 Bitter Diplomat will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1973 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1976 Bitter Diplomat | 1973 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Bitter | Mercury |
| Model | Diplomat | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1976 | 1973 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5354 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 228 HP | 168 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4700 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 419 Nm | 363 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3100 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1680 kg | 1650 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4860 mm | 5080 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1850 mm | 1920 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1290 mm | 1310 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2690 mm | 2860 mm |
