1979 Mercury Cougar vs. 1979 Pontiac Firebird
To start off, both 1979 Mercury Cougar and 1979 Pontiac Firebird were released in the same year (1979). Therefore the support and the availability on parts for both vehicles should be relatively similar. At 6,547 cc (8 cylinders), 1979 Pontiac Firebird is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1979 Pontiac Firebird (285 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 151 more horse power than 1979 Mercury Cougar. (134 HP @ 3400 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1979 Pontiac Firebird should accelerate faster than 1979 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 259 kg more than 1979 Pontiac Firebird.
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 Pontiac Firebird (421 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 85 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Mercury Cougar. (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM). This means 1979 Pontiac Firebird will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1979 Mercury Cougar | 1979 Pontiac Firebird | |
| Make | Mercury | Pontiac |
| Model | Cougar | Firebird |
| Year Released | 1979 | 1979 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4942 cc | 6547 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 134 HP | 285 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3400 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 336 Nm | 421 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1600 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1855 kg | 1596 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5480 mm | 4880 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2010 mm | 1870 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1290 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2750 mm |
