1976 Mazda 818 vs. 1971 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1976 Mazda 818 is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Mercury Cougar (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 99 more horse power than 1976 Mazda 818. (68 HP @ 6200 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1971 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1976 Mazda 818. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 648 kg more than 1976 Mazda 818. 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, 1971 Mercury Cougar (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 271 more torque (in Nm) than 1976 Mazda 818. (92 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1971 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1976 Mazda 818.
Compare all specifications:
| 1976 Mazda 818 | 1971 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Mazda | Mercury |
| Model | 818 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1976 | 1971 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1272 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 68 HP | 167 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6200 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 92 Nm | 363 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1002 kg | 1650 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4100 mm | 5080 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1600 mm | 1920 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1410 mm | 1310 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2320 mm | 2860 mm |
