1979 Mercedes-Benz 230 vs. 1978 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1979 Mercedes-Benz 230 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 Mercedes-Benz 230 (134 HP) has 1 more horse power than 1978 Mercury Cougar. (133 HP). In normal driving conditions, 1979 Mercedes-Benz 230 should accelerate faster than 1978 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 495 kg more than 1979 Mercedes-Benz 230.
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 @ 1600 RPM) has 131 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Mercedes-Benz 230. (205 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Mercedes-Benz 230.
Compare all specifications:
| 1979 Mercedes-Benz 230 | 1978 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Mercedes-Benz | Mercury |
| Model | 230 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1979 | 1978 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2298 cc | 4941 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 134 HP | 133 HP |
| Torque | 205 Nm | 336 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1360 kg | 1855 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4730 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1790 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1440 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2800 mm | 2910 mm |
