1988 BMW 520 vs. 1971 Mercury Comet
To start off, 1988 BMW 520 is newer by 17 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Mercury Comet. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Mercury Comet would be higher. At 2,782 cc (6 cylinders), 1971 Mercury Comet is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1988 BMW 520 (129 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 48 more horse power than 1971 Mercury Comet. (81 HP @ 4400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1988 BMW 520 should accelerate faster than 1971 Mercury Comet. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1988 BMW 520 weights approximately 350 kg more than 1971 Mercury Comet. 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 Comet (175 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 1 more torque (in Nm) than 1988 BMW 520. (174 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1971 Mercury Comet will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1988 BMW 520.
Compare all specifications:
| 1988 BMW 520 | 1971 Mercury Comet | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 520 | Comet |
| Year Released | 1988 | 1971 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1989 cc | 2782 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 129 HP | 81 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 174 Nm | 175 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1570 kg | 1220 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4780 mm | 4620 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 1800 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1440 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2770 mm | 2630 mm |
