1988 BMW 520 vs. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis
To start off, 1988 BMW 520 is newer by 10 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis would be higher. At 5,766 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis (139 HP @ 3200 RPM) has 10 more horse power than 1988 BMW 520. (129 HP @ 6000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis should accelerate faster than 1988 BMW 520. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 140 kg more than 1988 BMW 520. 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, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis (353 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 179 more torque (in Nm) than 1988 BMW 520. (174 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1988 BMW 520.
Compare all specifications:
| 1988 BMW 520 | 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 520 | Grand Marquis |
| Year Released | 1988 | 1978 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1989 cc | 5766 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 129 HP | 139 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Torque | 174 Nm | 353 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 2200 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1570 kg | 1710 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4780 mm | 5400 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 1980 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1440 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2770 mm | 2910 mm |
