1979 Lotus Esprit vs. 1978 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1979 Lotus Esprit is newer by 1 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, 1979 Lotus Esprit (160 HP) has 27 more horse power than 1978 Mercury Cougar. (133 HP). In normal driving conditions, 1979 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1978 Mercury Cougar.
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) has 119 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Lotus Esprit. (217 Nm). This means 1978 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Lotus Esprit.
Compare all specifications:
1979 Lotus Esprit | 1978 Mercury Cougar | |
Make | Lotus | Mercury |
Model | Esprit | Cougar |
Year Released | 1979 | 1978 |
Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
Engine Position | Middle | Front |
Engine Size | 2174 cc | 4941 cc |
Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
Horse Power | 160 HP | 133 HP |
Torque | 217 Nm | 336 Nm |
Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
Vehicle Length | 4200 mm | 5480 mm |
Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 2010 mm |
Vehicle Height | 1120 mm | 1340 mm |
Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2910 mm |