1980 Mercury Cougar vs. 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis
To start off, 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1980 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1980 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis (129 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 32 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (97 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 360 kg more than 1980 Mercury Cougar. 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, 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis (302 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 84 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (218 Nm @ 1400 RPM). This means 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Mercury Cougar | 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis | |
| Make | Mercury | Mercury |
| Model | Cougar | Grand Marquis |
| Year Released | 1980 | 1983 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3271 cc | 4942 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 97 HP | 129 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 218 Nm | 302 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1400 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1330 kg | 1690 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4960 mm | 5400 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 1980 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2690 mm | 2910 mm |
