1976 Ford Taunus vs. 1973 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1976 Ford Taunus 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 5,766 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Cougar (152 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 99 more horse power than 1976 Ford Taunus. (53 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1976 Ford Taunus. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 889 kg more than 1976 Ford Taunus. 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 Cougar (377 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 286 more torque (in Nm) than 1976 Ford Taunus. (91 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1976 Ford Taunus.
Compare all specifications:
| 1976 Ford Taunus | 1973 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Taunus | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1976 | 1973 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1294 cc | 5766 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 53 HP | 152 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 91 Nm | 377 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 3 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1145 kg | 2034 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4450 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1720 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1360 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2590 mm | 2910 mm |
