1980 Austin Marina vs. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis
To start off, 1980 Austin Marina is newer by 2 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis (129 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 70 more horse power than 1980 Austin Marina. (59 HP @ 5250 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis should accelerate faster than 1980 Austin Marina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 810 kg more than 1980 Austin Marina. 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, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis (303 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 200 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Austin Marina. (103 Nm @ 2500 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Austin Marina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Austin Marina | 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis | |
| Make | Austin | Mercury |
| Model | Marina | Grand Marquis |
| Year Released | 1980 | 1978 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1275 cc | 4942 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 59 HP | 129 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5250 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 103 Nm | 303 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2500 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 70.6 mm | 101.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 81.3 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 880 kg | 1690 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4230 mm | 5400 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1660 mm | 1980 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1430 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2910 mm |
