1986 Chevrolet Corvette vs. 1978 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1986 Chevrolet Corvette is newer by 8 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 5,733 cc (8 cylinders), 1986 Chevrolet Corvette is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1986 Chevrolet Corvette (230 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 97 more horse power than 1978 Mercury Cougar. (133 HP @ 3400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1986 Chevrolet Corvette should accelerate faster than 1978 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 417 kg more than 1986 Chevrolet Corvette.
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, 1986 Chevrolet Corvette (447 Nm @ 3200 RPM) has 111 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Mercury Cougar. (336 Nm @ 1600 RPM). This means 1986 Chevrolet Corvette will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1986 Chevrolet Corvette | 1978 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Chevrolet | Mercury |
| Model | Corvette | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1986 | 1978 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5733 cc | 4941 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 230 HP | 133 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 447 Nm | 336 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3200 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1438 kg | 1855 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4490 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1190 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2450 mm | 2910 mm |
