1987 Chevrolet Corvette vs. 1971 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1987 Chevrolet Corvette is newer by 16 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1987 Chevrolet Corvette (245 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 78 more horse power than 1971 Mercury Cougar. (167 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1987 Chevrolet Corvette should accelerate faster than 1971 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 132 kg more than 1987 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, 1987 Chevrolet Corvette (467 Nm @ 3200 RPM) has 104 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Mercury Cougar. (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1987 Chevrolet Corvette will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1987 Chevrolet Corvette | 1971 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Chevrolet | Mercury |
| Model | Corvette | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1987 | 1971 |
| Body Type | Convertible | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5735 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 245 HP | 167 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4400 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 467 Nm | 363 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3200 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1518 kg | 1650 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4490 mm | 5080 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 1920 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1190 mm | 1310 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2450 mm | 2860 mm |
