1978 Alpine A 310 vs. 1979 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1979 Mercury Cougar is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Alpine A 310. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Alpine A 310 would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1979 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Alpine A 310 (148 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 14 more horse power than 1979 Mercury Cougar. (134 HP @ 3400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1978 Alpine A 310 should accelerate faster than 1979 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 871 kg more than 1978 Alpine A 310.
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, 1979 Mercury Cougar (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 128 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Alpine A 310. (208 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1979 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Alpine A 310.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Alpine A 310 | 1979 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Alpine | Mercury |
| Model | A 310 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1979 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Rear | Front |
| Engine Size | 2664 cc | 4942 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 148 HP | 134 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 208 Nm | 336 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 984 kg | 1855 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4190 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1650 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1160 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2280 mm | 2910 mm |
