1978 BMW M1 vs. 1974 Mercury Montego
To start off, 1978 BMW M1 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 4,095 cc (6 cylinders), 1974 Mercury Montego is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 BMW M1 (273 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 177 more horse power than 1974 Mercury Montego. (96 HP @ 3600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1978 BMW M1 should accelerate faster than 1974 Mercury Montego. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1974 Mercury Montego weights approximately 395 kg more than 1978 BMW M1.
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 BMW M1 (330 Nm @ 5000 RPM) has 82 more torque (in Nm) than 1974 Mercury Montego. (248 Nm @ 1600 RPM). This means 1978 BMW M1 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1974 Mercury Montego.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 BMW M1 | 1974 Mercury Montego | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | M1 | Montego |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1974 |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 3453 cc | 4095 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 273 HP | 96 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 330 Nm | 248 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.0:1 | 8.0:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 6 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1300 kg | 1695 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4370 mm | 5300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1830 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1140 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2570 mm | 3010 mm |
