1981 Lada 1200 vs. 1978 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1981 Lada 1200 is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 4,941 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Mercury Cougar (133 HP @ 3400 RPM) has 74 more horse power than 1981 Lada 1200. (59 HP @ 5600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1978 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1981 Lada 1200. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 910 kg more than 1981 Lada 1200. 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 Cougar (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 251 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Lada 1200. (85 Nm @ 3400 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Lada 1200.
Compare all specifications:
| 1981 Lada 1200 | 1978 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Lada | Mercury |
| Model | 1200 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1981 | 1978 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1198 cc | 4941 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 59 HP | 133 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5600 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 85 Nm | 336 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3400 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 945 kg | 1855 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4080 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1620 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1450 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2430 mm | 2910 mm |
