1981 Mercury Cougar vs. 1979 Triumph Spitfire
To start off, 1981 Mercury Cougar is newer by 2 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1979 Triumph Spitfire. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1979 Triumph Spitfire 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 43 more horse power than 1979 Triumph Spitfire. (71 HP @ 5500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1981 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1979 Triumph Spitfire. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 541 kg more than 1979 Triumph Spitfire. 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 126 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Triumph Spitfire. (111 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1981 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Triumph Spitfire.
Compare all specifications:
| 1981 Mercury Cougar | 1979 Triumph Spitfire | |
| Make | Mercury | Triumph |
| Model | Cougar | Spitfire |
| Year Released | 1981 | 1979 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Convertible |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3797 cc | 1493 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 114 HP | 71 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 237 Nm | 111 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1356 kg | 815 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4960 mm | 3740 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 1450 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1210 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2690 mm | 2110 mm |
