1987 Mazda RX-7 vs. 1971 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1987 Mazda RX-7 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, 1971 Mercury Cougar (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 19 more horse power than 1987 Mazda RX-7. (148 HP @ 6500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1971 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1987 Mazda RX-7. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 420 kg more than 1987 Mazda RX-7. 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, 1971 Mercury Cougar (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 177 more torque (in Nm) than 1987 Mazda RX-7. (186 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1971 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1987 Mazda RX-7.
Compare all specifications:
| 1987 Mazda RX-7 | 1971 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Mazda | Mercury |
| Model | RX-7 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1987 | 1971 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2616 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Type | dual-disk rotary | in-line |
| Horse Power | 148 HP | 167 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 186 Nm | 363 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1230 kg | 1650 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4320 mm | 5080 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1700 mm | 1920 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1270 mm | 1310 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2860 mm |
