1978 Mercury Cougar vs. 2001 Panoz Esperante
To start off, 2001 Panoz Esperante is newer by 23 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, 2001 Panoz Esperante (317 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 184 more horse power than 1978 Mercury Cougar. (133 HP @ 3400 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2001 Panoz Esperante should accelerate faster than 1978 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 585 kg more than 2001 Panoz Esperante.
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, 2001 Panoz Esperante (426 Nm @ 4750 RPM) has 90 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Mercury Cougar. (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM). This means 2001 Panoz Esperante will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
1978 Mercury Cougar | 2001 Panoz Esperante | |
Make | Mercury | Panoz |
Model | Cougar | Esperante |
Year Released | 1978 | 2001 |
Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
Engine Position | Front | Front |
Engine Size | 4941 cc | 4601 cc |
Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
Engine Type | in-line | V |
Horse Power | 133 HP | 317 HP |
Engine RPM | 3400 RPM | 6000 RPM |
Torque | 336 Nm | 426 Nm |
Torque RPM | 1600 RPM | 4750 RPM |
Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
Vehicle Weight | 1855 kg | 1270 kg |
Vehicle Length | 5480 mm | 4480 mm |
Vehicle Width | 2010 mm | 1860 mm |
Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1360 mm |
Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2700 mm |