1981 Mercury Cougar vs. 1984 Nissan 300 ZX
To start off, 1984 Nissan 300 ZX is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 3,797 cc (6 cylinders), 1981 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1984 Nissan 300 ZX (171 HP @ 5200 RPM) has 57 more horse power than 1981 Mercury Cougar. (114 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1984 Nissan 300 ZX should accelerate faster than 1981 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1984 Nissan 300 ZX weights approximately 104 kg more than 1981 Mercury Cougar. 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 3 more torque (in Nm) than 1984 Nissan 300 ZX. (234 Nm @ 3600 RPM). This means 1981 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1984 Nissan 300 ZX.
Compare all specifications:
| 1981 Mercury Cougar | 1984 Nissan 300 ZX | |
| Make | Mercury | Nissan |
| Model | Cougar | 300 ZX |
| Year Released | 1981 | 1984 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3797 cc | 2958 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 114 HP | 171 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 237 Nm | 234 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1356 kg | 1460 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4960 mm | 4550 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 1730 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1320 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2690 mm | 2530 mm |
