1988 BMW 316 vs. 1973 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1988 BMW 316 is newer by 15 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Cougar (168 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 82 more horse power than 1988 BMW 316. (86 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1988 BMW 316. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1988 BMW 316 weights approximately 190 kg more than 1973 Mercury Cougar.
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, 1973 Mercury Cougar (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 236 more torque (in Nm) than 1988 BMW 316. (127 Nm @ 3900 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1988 BMW 316.
Compare all specifications:
| 1988 BMW 316 | 1973 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 316 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1988 | 1973 |
| Body Type | Hatchback | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1596 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 86 HP | 168 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 127 Nm | 363 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3900 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 84 mm | 101.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 72 mm | 88.8 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 3 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1840 kg | 1650 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4220 mm | 5080 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1700 mm | 1920 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1400 mm | 1310 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2710 mm | 2860 mm |
