1990 BMW 316 vs. 1980 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1990 BMW 316 is newer by 10 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1980 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1980 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 3,271 cc (6 cylinders), 1980 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1990 BMW 316 (100 HP @ 5500 RPM) has 3 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (97 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1990 BMW 316 should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 250 kg more than 1990 BMW 316.
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, 1980 Mercury Cougar (218 Nm @ 1400 RPM) has 77 more torque (in Nm) than 1990 BMW 316. (141 Nm @ 4250 RPM). This means 1980 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 | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 316 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1990 | 1980 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1596 cc | 3271 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 100 HP | 97 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 141 Nm | 218 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4250 RPM | 1400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1080 kg | 1330 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4330 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1650 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2580 mm | 2690 mm |
