1980 Ford Capri vs. 1979 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1980 Ford Capri is newer by 1 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, 1979 Mercury Cougar (134 HP @ 3400 RPM) has 81 more horse power than 1980 Ford Capri. (53 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1979 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1980 Ford Capri. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 859 kg more than 1980 Ford Capri. 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 251 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Ford Capri. (85 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1979 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Ford Capri.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Ford Capri | 1979 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Capri | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1980 | 1979 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1298 cc | 4942 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 53 HP | 134 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 85 Nm | 336 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 996 kg | 1855 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4380 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1700 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1330 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2570 mm | 2910 mm |
