1979 Mercury Cougar vs. 1968 Opel Olympia
To start off, 1979 Mercury Cougar is newer by 11 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1968 Opel Olympia. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1968 Opel Olympia would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1979 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1979 Mercury Cougar (134 HP @ 3400 RPM) has 75 more horse power than 1968 Opel Olympia. (59 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1979 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1968 Opel Olympia. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 1075 kg more than 1968 Opel Olympia. 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, 1979 Mercury Cougar (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 250 more torque (in Nm) than 1968 Opel Olympia. (86 Nm @ 4400 RPM). This means 1979 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1968 Opel Olympia.
Compare all specifications:
| 1979 Mercury Cougar | 1968 Opel Olympia | |
| Make | Mercury | Opel |
| Model | Cougar | Olympia |
| Year Released | 1979 | 1968 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4942 cc | 1078 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 134 HP | 59 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3400 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 336 Nm | 86 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1600 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1855 kg | 780 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5480 mm | 4190 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2010 mm | 1580 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1410 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2420 mm |
