1986 BMW 325 vs. 1981 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1986 BMW 325 is newer by 5 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, 1986 BMW 325 (126 HP @ 4800 RPM) has 12 more horse power than 1981 Mercury Cougar. (114 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1986 BMW 325 should accelerate faster than 1981 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 196 kg more than 1986 BMW 325.
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 7 more torque (in Nm) than 1986 BMW 325. (230 Nm @ 3200 RPM). This means 1981 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1986 BMW 325.
Compare all specifications:
| 1986 BMW 325 | 1981 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 325 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1986 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2693 cc | 3797 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 126 HP | 114 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4800 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 230 Nm | 237 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3200 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1160 kg | 1356 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4330 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1650 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2580 mm | 2690 mm |
