1979 Mercury Cougar vs. 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis
To start off, 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis is newer by 7 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1979 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1979 Mercury Cougar would be higher. Both 1979 Mercury Cougar and 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis are equipped with a 4,942 cc engine. In terms of performance, 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis (148 HP @ 3200 RPM) has 14 more horse power than 1979 Mercury Cougar. (134 HP @ 3400 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis should accelerate faster than 1979 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 105 kg more than 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis.
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, 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis (367 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 31 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Mercury Cougar. (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM). This means 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1979 Mercury Cougar | 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis | |
| Make | Mercury | Mercury |
| Model | Cougar | Grand Marquis |
| Year Released | 1979 | 1986 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4942 cc | 4942 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 134 HP | 148 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3400 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Torque | 336 Nm | 367 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1600 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1855 kg | 1750 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5480 mm | 5400 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2010 mm | 1980 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2920 mm |
