1978 Mercury Grand Marquis vs. 2006 Panoz Esperante
To start off, 2006 Panoz Esperante is newer by 28 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, 2006 Panoz Esperante (305 HP @ 5800 RPM) has 166 more horse power than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. (139 HP @ 3200 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2006 Panoz Esperante should accelerate faster than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 175 kg more than 2006 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, 2006 Panoz Esperante (434 Nm @ 4200 RPM) has 81 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. (353 Nm @ 2200 RPM). This means 2006 Panoz Esperante will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis | 2006 Panoz Esperante | |
| Make | Mercury | Panoz |
| Model | Grand Marquis | Esperante |
| Year Released | 1978 | 2006 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5766 cc | 4589 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Horse Power | 139 HP | 305 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3200 RPM | 5800 RPM |
| Torque | 353 Nm | 434 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2200 RPM | 4200 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1710 kg | 1535 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5400 mm | 4730 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1980 mm | 1870 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1360 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2700 mm |
