1989 Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. 1970 Mercury Comet
To start off, 1989 Mazda MX-5 Miata is newer by 19 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Mercury Comet. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Mercury Comet would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1970 Mercury Comet is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1970 Mercury Comet (137 HP @ 4200 RPM) has 21 more horse power than 1989 Mazda MX-5 Miata. (116 HP @ 6500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1970 Mercury Comet should accelerate faster than 1989 Mazda MX-5 Miata. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Mercury Comet weights approximately 420 kg more than 1989 Mazda MX-5 Miata. 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, 1970 Mercury Comet (319 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 182 more torque (in Nm) than 1989 Mazda MX-5 Miata. (137 Nm @ 5500 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Comet will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1989 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
Compare all specifications:
| 1989 Mazda MX-5 Miata | 1970 Mercury Comet | |
| Make | Mazda | Mercury |
| Model | MX-5 Miata | Comet |
| Year Released | 1989 | 1970 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1598 cc | 4942 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 116 HP | 137 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 4200 RPM |
| Torque | 137 Nm | 319 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5500 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 78 mm | 101.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 83.6 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 970 kg | 1390 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3950 mm | 4800 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1680 mm | 1800 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1230 mm | 1360 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2270 mm | 2800 mm |
