1985 Jaguar XJS vs. 1970 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1985 Jaguar XJS is newer by 15 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1970 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1985 Jaguar XJS (280 HP @ 5500 RPM) has 113 more horse power than 1970 Mercury Cougar. (167 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1985 Jaguar XJS should accelerate faster than 1970 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1985 Jaguar XJS weights approximately 130 kg more than 1970 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, 1985 Jaguar XJS (432 Nm @ 3250 RPM) has 69 more torque (in Nm) than 1970 Mercury Cougar. (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1985 Jaguar XJS will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1970 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1985 Jaguar XJS | 1970 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Jaguar | Mercury |
| Model | XJS | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1985 | 1970 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5343 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 12 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 280 HP | 167 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 432 Nm | 363 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3250 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 11.5:1 | 8.6:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1780 kg | 1650 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4770 mm | 5840 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1800 mm | 2000 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1270 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2600 mm | 2860 mm |
