1990 BMW 316 vs. 1970 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1990 BMW 316 is newer by 20 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1970 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1970 Mercury Cougar (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 67 more horse power than 1990 BMW 316. (100 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1970 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1990 BMW 316. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 570 kg more than 1990 BMW 316. 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 Cougar (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 222 more torque (in Nm) than 1990 BMW 316. (141 Nm @ 4250 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1990 BMW 316.
Compare all specifications:
| 1990 BMW 316 | 1970 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 316 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1990 | 1970 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1596 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 100 HP | 167 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 141 Nm | 363 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4250 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.0:1 | 8.6:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1080 kg | 1650 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4330 mm | 5840 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1650 mm | 2000 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2580 mm | 2860 mm |
