1976 Mercury Cougar vs. 2012 Chevrolet Corvette
To start off, 2012 Chevrolet Corvette is newer by 36 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1976 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1976 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 6,200 cc (8 cylinders), 2012 Chevrolet Corvette is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2012 Chevrolet Corvette (430 HP @ 5900 RPM) has 278 more horse power than 1976 Mercury Cougar. (152 HP @ 3600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2012 Chevrolet Corvette should accelerate faster than 1976 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1976 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 538 kg more than 2012 Chevrolet Corvette.
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, 2012 Chevrolet Corvette (574 Nm @ 4600 RPM) has 197 more torque (in Nm) than 1976 Mercury Cougar. (377 Nm @ 1800 RPM). This means 2012 Chevrolet Corvette will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1976 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1976 Mercury Cougar | 2012 Chevrolet Corvette | |
| Make | Mercury | Chevrolet |
| Model | Cougar | Corvette |
| Year Released | 1976 | 2012 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5766 cc | 6200 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 152 HP | 430 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3600 RPM | 5900 RPM |
| Torque | 377 Nm | 574 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1800 RPM | 4600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 2030 kg | 1492 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5480 mm | 4460 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2010 mm | 1928 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1237 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2685 mm |
