1978 Chevrolet Caprice vs. 1980 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1980 Mercury Cougar is newer by 2 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Chevrolet Caprice. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Chevrolet Caprice would be higher. At 4,184 cc (8 cylinders), 1980 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1980 Mercury Cougar (116 HP @ 3400 RPM) has 8 more horse power than 1978 Chevrolet Caprice. (108 HP @ 3800 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1980 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1978 Chevrolet Caprice. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Chevrolet Caprice weights approximately 260 kg more than 1980 Mercury Cougar.
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 Chevrolet Caprice (280 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 16 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (264 Nm @ 2200 RPM). This means 1978 Chevrolet Caprice will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Chevrolet Caprice | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Chevrolet | Mercury |
| Model | Caprice | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1980 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4093 cc | 4184 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 108 HP | 116 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3800 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 280 Nm | 264 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1600 RPM | 2200 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1670 kg | 1410 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5390 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1430 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2950 mm | 2690 mm |
