1988 Chevrolet Camaro vs. 1973 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1988 Chevrolet Camaro 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 6,589 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Cougar (168 HP @ 3800 RPM) has 38 more horse power than 1988 Chevrolet Camaro. (130 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1988 Chevrolet Camaro. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 540 kg more than 1988 Chevrolet Camaro. 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, 1973 Mercury Cougar (375 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 63 more torque (in Nm) than 1988 Chevrolet Camaro. (312 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1988 Chevrolet Camaro.
Compare all specifications:
| 1988 Chevrolet Camaro | 1973 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Chevrolet | Mercury |
| Model | Camaro | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1988 | 1973 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5012 cc | 6589 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 130 HP | 168 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 312 Nm | 375 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1515 kg | 2055 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4900 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1290 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2750 mm | 2910 mm |
