1976 Ford Cortina vs. 1981 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1981 Mercury Cougar is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1976 Ford Cortina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1976 Ford Cortina would be higher. At 3,797 cc (6 cylinders), 1981 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Mercury Cougar (114 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 7 more horse power than 1976 Ford Cortina. (107 HP @ 5000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1981 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1976 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 266 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, 1981 Mercury Cougar (237 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 60 more torque (in Nm) than 1976 Ford Cortina. (177 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1981 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1976 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1976 Ford Cortina | 1981 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Cortina | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1976 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2294 cc | 3797 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 107 HP | 114 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5000 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 177 Nm | 237 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1090 kg | 1356 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4390 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2590 mm | 2690 mm |
