1987 Mercury Grand Marquis vs. 1981 Nissan Laurel
To start off, 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis is newer by 6 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Nissan Laurel. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Nissan Laurel would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis (148 HP @ 3200 RPM) has 25 more horse power than 1981 Nissan Laurel. (123 HP @ 4800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis should accelerate faster than 1981 Nissan Laurel. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 505 kg more than 1981 Nissan Laurel. 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, 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis (366 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 144 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Nissan Laurel. (222 Nm @ 3600 RPM). This means 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Nissan Laurel.
Compare all specifications:
| 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis | 1981 Nissan Laurel | |
| Make | Mercury | Nissan |
| Model | Grand Marquis | Laurel |
| Year Released | 1987 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4942 cc | 2753 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 148 HP | 123 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3200 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Torque | 366 Nm | 222 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1750 kg | 1245 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5400 mm | 4060 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1980 mm | 1630 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2920 mm | 2410 mm |
