1981 Lincoln Town Car vs. 2012 Mercedes-Benz CL
To start off, 2012 Mercedes-Benz CL is newer by 31 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Lincoln Town Car. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Lincoln Town Car would be higher. At 5,500 cc (8 cylinders), 2012 Mercedes-Benz CL is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2012 Mercedes-Benz CL (536 HP @ 5500 RPM) has 407 more horse power than 1981 Lincoln Town Car. (129 HP @ 3400 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2012 Mercedes-Benz CL should accelerate faster than 1981 Lincoln Town Car. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2012 Mercedes-Benz CL weights approximately 360 kg more than 1981 Lincoln Town Car. 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, 2012 Mercedes-Benz CL (799 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 489 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Lincoln Town Car. (310 Nm @ 1800 RPM). This means 2012 Mercedes-Benz CL will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Lincoln Town Car.
Compare all specifications:
| 1981 Lincoln Town Car | 2012 Mercedes-Benz CL | |
| Make | Lincoln | Mercedes-Benz |
| Model | Town Car | CL |
| Year Released | 1981 | 2012 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4942 cc | 5500 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 129 HP | 536 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3400 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 310 Nm | 799 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1800 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | 7-speed shiftable automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1820 kg | 2180 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5570 mm | 5105 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1990 mm | 1872 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1440 mm | 1427 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2990 mm | 2954 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 68 L | 90 L |
