1988 BMW 535 vs. 1980 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1988 BMW 535 is newer by 8 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1980 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1980 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 3,430 cc (6 cylinders), 1988 BMW 535 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1988 BMW 535 (211 HP @ 5700 RPM) has 121 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (90 HP @ 4600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1988 BMW 535 should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1988 BMW 535 weights approximately 315 kg more than 1980 Mercury Cougar. 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, 1988 BMW 535 (305 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 141 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (164 Nm @ 2600 RPM). This means 1988 BMW 535 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1988 BMW 535 | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 535 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1988 | 1980 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3430 cc | 2301 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 211 HP | 90 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5700 RPM | 4600 RPM |
| Torque | 305 Nm | 164 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 92 mm | 96 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 86 mm | 79.5 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1630 kg | 1315 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4730 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1760 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1420 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2770 mm | 2690 mm |
