1988 Holden Commodore vs. 1973 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1988 Holden Commodore 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 7,542 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Cougar (213 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 49 more horse power than 1988 Holden Commodore. (164 HP @ 4400 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1988 Holden Commodore. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 725 kg more than 1988 Holden Commodore. 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 (498 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 174 more torque (in Nm) than 1988 Holden Commodore. (324 Nm @ 3200 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1988 Holden Commodore.
Compare all specifications:
| 1988 Holden Commodore | 1973 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Holden | Mercury |
| Model | Commodore | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1988 | 1973 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5044 cc | 7542 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 164 HP | 213 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4400 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 324 Nm | 498 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3200 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1380 kg | 2105 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4860 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1800 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1410 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2740 mm | 2910 mm |
