1989 Mercury Cougar vs. 1971 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia
To start off, 1989 Mercury Cougar is newer by 18 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia would be higher. At 3,799 cc (6 cylinders), 1989 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1989 Mercury Cougar (140 HP @ 3800 RPM) has 97 more horse power than 1971 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia. (43 HP @ 4100 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1989 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1971 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia.
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, 1989 Mercury Cougar (292 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 206 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia. (86 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1989 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia. 1989 Mercury Cougar has automatic transmission and 1971 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia has manual transmission. 1971 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1989 Mercury Cougar will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1989 Mercury Cougar | 1971 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia | |
| Make | Mercury | Volkswagen |
| Model | Cougar | Karmann-Ghia |
| Year Released | 1989 | 1971 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Convertible |
| Engine Position | Front | Rear |
| Engine Size | 3799 cc | 1285 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 140 HP | 43 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3800 RPM | 4100 RPM |
| Torque | 292 Nm | 86 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Length | 5050 mm | 4200 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1850 mm | 1640 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2880 mm | 2430 mm |
