1978 Lancia Beta 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 Lancia Beta. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Lancia Beta would be higher. At 3,271 cc (6 cylinders), 1980 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Lancia Beta (100 HP @ 5800 RPM) has 3 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (97 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1978 Lancia Beta should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 292 kg more than 1978 Lancia Beta.
Because 1980 Mercury Cougar is rear wheel drive (RWD), it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, it will be much easier to do with 1980 Mercury Cougar. However, in wet, icy, snow, or gravel driving conditions, 1978 Lancia Beta, being front wheel drive (FWD), will offer much better control with better grip. 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, 1980 Mercury Cougar (218 Nm @ 1400 RPM) has 84 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Lancia Beta. (134 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1980 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Lancia Beta.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Lancia Beta | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Lancia | Mercury |
| Model | Beta | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1980 |
| Body Type | Hatchback | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1585 cc | 3271 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 100 HP | 97 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5800 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 134 Nm | 218 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 1400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Front | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 3 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1038 kg | 1330 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4290 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1660 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1330 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2550 mm | 2690 mm |
