1978 Mercury Cougar vs. 1998 Opel Speedster
To start off, 1998 Opel Speedster is newer by 20 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 4,941 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1998 Opel Speedster (198 HP @ 5500 RPM) has 65 more horse power than 1978 Mercury Cougar. (133 HP @ 3400 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1998 Opel Speedster should accelerate faster than 1978 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 850 kg more than 1998 Opel Speedster.
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 Mercury Cougar (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 86 more torque (in Nm) than 1998 Opel Speedster. (250 Nm @ 1950 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1998 Opel Speedster.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Mercury Cougar | 1998 Opel Speedster | |
| Make | Mercury | Opel |
| Model | Cougar | Speedster |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1998 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Convertible |
| Engine Position | Front | Middle |
| Engine Size | 4941 cc | 1995 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 133 HP | 198 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3400 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 336 Nm | 250 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1600 RPM | 1950 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline - Premium |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1855 kg | 1005 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5480 mm | 3790 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2010 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1120 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2340 mm |
