1978 Mercury Grand Marquis vs. 1988 Mitsubishi Starion
To start off, 1988 Mitsubishi Starion is newer by 10 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis would be higher. At 5,766 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis (139 HP @ 3200 RPM) has 37 more horse power than 1988 Mitsubishi Starion. (102 HP @ 5500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis should accelerate faster than 1988 Mitsubishi Starion. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 585 kg more than 1988 Mitsubishi Starion. 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 (353 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 189 more torque (in Nm) than 1988 Mitsubishi Starion. (164 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1988 Mitsubishi Starion.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis | 1988 Mitsubishi Starion | |
| Make | Mercury | Mitsubishi |
| Model | Grand Marquis | Starion |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1988 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5766 cc | 1995 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 139 HP | 102 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3200 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 353 Nm | 164 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2200 RPM | 3500 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1710 kg | 1125 kg |
