1978 Mercury Grand Marquis vs. 1973 Vauxhall Firenza
To start off, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Vauxhall Firenza. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Vauxhall Firenza would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis (129 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 52 more horse power than 1973 Vauxhall Firenza. (77 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis should accelerate faster than 1973 Vauxhall Firenza. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 750 kg more than 1973 Vauxhall Firenza. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
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 Grand Marquis (303 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 169 more torque (in Nm) than 1973 Vauxhall Firenza. (134 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1973 Vauxhall Firenza.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis | 1973 Vauxhall Firenza | |
| Make | Mercury | Vauxhall |
| Model | Grand Marquis | Firenza |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1973 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4942 cc | 1759 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 129 HP | 77 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3600 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 303 Nm | 134 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 101.6 mm | 85.8 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 76.2 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1690 kg | 940 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5400 mm | 4150 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1980 mm | 1650 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2470 mm |
