1977 Ford Cortina vs. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis
To start off, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1977 Ford Cortina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1977 Ford Cortina would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis (129 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 21 more horse power than 1977 Ford Cortina. (108 HP @ 4200 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis should accelerate faster than 1977 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 580 kg more than 1977 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, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis (303 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 82 more torque (in Nm) than 1977 Ford Cortina. (221 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1977 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1977 Ford Cortina | 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Cortina | Grand Marquis |
| Year Released | 1977 | 1978 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3273 cc | 4942 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 108 HP | 129 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4200 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 221 Nm | 303 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1110 kg | 1690 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4380 mm | 5400 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1980 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2580 mm | 2910 mm |
