1979 Mercury Cougar vs. 1995 Nissan 300 ZX
To start off, 1995 Nissan 300 ZX is newer by 16 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. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1979 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1995 Nissan 300 ZX (279 HP @ 6400 RPM) has 145 more horse power than 1979 Mercury Cougar. (134 HP @ 3400 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1995 Nissan 300 ZX should accelerate faster than 1979 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 270 kg more than 1995 Nissan 300 ZX.
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, 1995 Nissan 300 ZX (376 Nm @ 3600 RPM) has 40 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Mercury Cougar. (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM). This means 1995 Nissan 300 ZX will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1979 Mercury Cougar | 1995 Nissan 300 ZX | |
| Make | Mercury | Nissan |
| Model | Cougar | 300 ZX |
| Year Released | 1979 | 1995 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4942 cc | 2960 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 134 HP | 279 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3400 RPM | 6400 RPM |
| Torque | 336 Nm | 376 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1600 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1855 kg | 1585 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5480 mm | 4530 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2010 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1260 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2580 mm |
