1982 Ford Cortina vs. 1981 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1982 Ford Cortina is newer by 1 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, 1981 Mercury Cougar (114 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 54 more horse power than 1982 Ford Cortina. (60 HP @ 5750 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1981 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1982 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 356 kg more than 1982 Ford Cortina. 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 145 more torque (in Nm) than 1982 Ford Cortina. (92 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1981 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1982 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1982 Ford Cortina | 1981 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Cortina | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1982 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1294 cc | 3797 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 60 HP | 114 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5750 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 92 Nm | 237 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1000 kg | 1356 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4350 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2590 mm | 2690 mm |
