1976 Ford Cortina vs. 1974 Mercury Comet
To start off, 1976 Ford Cortina is newer by 2 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1974 Mercury Comet. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1974 Mercury Comet would be higher. At 3,272 cc (6 cylinders), 1974 Mercury Comet is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1974 Mercury Comet (83 HP @ 3800 RPM) has 10 more horse power than 1976 Ford Cortina. (73 HP @ 5300 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1974 Mercury Comet should accelerate faster than 1976 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1974 Mercury Comet weights approximately 106 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, 1974 Mercury Comet (206 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 89 more torque (in Nm) than 1976 Ford Cortina. (117 Nm @ 2700 RPM). This means 1974 Mercury Comet will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1976 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1976 Ford Cortina | 1974 Mercury Comet | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Cortina | Comet |
| Year Released | 1976 | 1974 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1593 cc | 3272 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 73 HP | 83 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5300 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 117 Nm | 206 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2700 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1114 kg | 1220 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4450 mm | 4620 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1800 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2590 mm | 2630 mm |
