1978 AMC Pacer vs. 1974 Mercury Montego
To start off, 1978 AMC Pacer is newer by 4 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1974 Mercury Montego. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1974 Mercury Montego would be higher. At 6,555 cc (8 cylinders), 1974 Mercury Montego is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1974 Mercury Montego (168 HP @ 4200 RPM) has 78 more horse power than 1978 AMC Pacer. (90 HP @ 3050 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1974 Mercury Montego should accelerate faster than 1978 AMC Pacer. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1974 Mercury Montego weights approximately 500 kg more than 1978 AMC Pacer. 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, 1974 Mercury Montego (403 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 181 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 AMC Pacer. (222 Nm @ 2200 RPM). This means 1974 Mercury Montego will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 AMC Pacer.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 AMC Pacer | 1974 Mercury Montego | |
| Make | AMC | Mercury |
| Model | Pacer | Montego |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1974 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3802 cc | 6555 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 90 HP | 168 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3050 RPM | 4200 RPM |
| Torque | 222 Nm | 403 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2200 RPM | 2200 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 95.2 mm | 101.7 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 88.8 mm | 101.6 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1359 kg | 1859 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4360 mm | 5840 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1960 mm | 2000 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2550 mm | 3000 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 83 L | 87 L |
