1981 Mercury Cougar vs. 1978 Opel Kadett
To start off, 1981 Mercury Cougar is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Opel Kadett. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Opel Kadett would be higher. At 3,797 cc (6 cylinders), 1981 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Mercury Cougar (114 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 55 more horse power than 1978 Opel Kadett. (59 HP @ 5400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1981 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1978 Opel Kadett. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 536 kg more than 1978 Opel Kadett. 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, 1981 Mercury Cougar (237 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 147 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Opel Kadett. (90 Nm @ 2600 RPM). This means 1981 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Opel Kadett.
Compare all specifications:
| 1981 Mercury Cougar | 1978 Opel Kadett | |
| Make | Mercury | Opel |
| Model | Cougar | Kadett |
| Year Released | 1981 | 1978 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3797 cc | 1196 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 114 HP | 59 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5400 RPM |
| Torque | 237 Nm | 90 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1356 kg | 820 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4960 mm | 4130 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 1590 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1380 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2690 mm | 2400 mm |
