1983 Ford Crown Victoria vs. 1978 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1983 Ford Crown Victoria is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1983 Ford Crown Victoria is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Mercury Cougar (133 HP @ 3400 RPM) has 4 more horse power than 1983 Ford Crown Victoria. (129 HP @ 3600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1978 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1983 Ford Crown Victoria. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 215 kg more than 1983 Ford Crown Victoria. 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, 1978 Mercury Cougar (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 34 more torque (in Nm) than 1983 Ford Crown Victoria. (302 Nm @ 2600 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1983 Ford Crown Victoria.
Compare all specifications:
| 1983 Ford Crown Victoria | 1978 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Crown Victoria | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1983 | 1978 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4942 cc | 4941 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 129 HP | 133 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3600 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 302 Nm | 336 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1640 kg | 1855 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5320 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1980 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2910 mm |
