1976 Ford Cortina vs. 1973 Mercury Montego
To start off, 1976 Ford Cortina is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Mercury Montego. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Mercury Montego would be higher. At 4,095 cc (6 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Montego is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Montego (96 HP) has 42 more horse power than 1976 Ford Cortina. (54 HP) In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Montego should accelerate faster than 1976 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Montego weights approximately 695 kg more than 1976 Ford Cortina. 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, 1973 Mercury Montego (248 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 157 more torque (in Nm) than 1976 Ford Cortina. (91 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Montego will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1976 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1976 Ford Cortina | 1973 Mercury Montego | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Cortina | Montego |
| Year Released | 1976 | 1973 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1298 cc | 4095 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 54 HP | 96 HP |
| Torque | 91 Nm | 248 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 79.1 mm | 93.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 66 mm | 99.3 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.0:1 | 8.0:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 6 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1000 kg | 1695 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4350 mm | 5300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2590 mm | 3010 mm |
