1981 BMW 528 vs. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis
To start off, 1981 BMW 528 is newer by 3 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, 1981 BMW 528 (181 HP @ 5800 RPM) has 52 more horse power than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. (129 HP @ 3600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1981 BMW 528 should accelerate faster than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 390 kg more than 1981 BMW 528.
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 63 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 BMW 528. (240 Nm @ 4200 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 BMW 528.
Compare all specifications:
| 1981 BMW 528 | 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 528 | Grand Marquis |
| Year Released | 1981 | 1978 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2788 cc | 4942 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 181 HP | 129 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5800 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 240 Nm | 303 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4200 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 86 mm | 101.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 80 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1300 kg | 1690 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4630 mm | 5400 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1980 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1430 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2630 mm | 2910 mm |
