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 4,184 cc (8 cylinders), 1980 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1988 BMW 535 (215 HP @ 5200 RPM) has 99 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (116 HP @ 3400 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 120 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 (310 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 46 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (264 Nm @ 2200 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 | 4184 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 215 HP | 116 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5200 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 310 Nm | 264 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 2200 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1530 kg | 1410 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 |
