1990 BMW M3 vs. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis
To start off, 1990 BMW M3 is newer by 12 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1990 BMW M3 (238 HP @ 7000 RPM) has 109 more horse power than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. (129 HP @ 3600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1990 BMW M3 should accelerate faster than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 490 kg more than 1990 BMW M3.
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, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis (303 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 63 more torque (in Nm) than 1990 BMW M3. (240 Nm @ 4750 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1990 BMW M3.
Compare all specifications:
| 1990 BMW M3 | 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | M3 | Grand Marquis |
| Year Released | 1990 | 1978 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2467 cc | 4942 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 238 HP | 129 HP |
| Engine RPM | 7000 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 240 Nm | 303 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4750 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 95.1 mm | 101.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 87 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1200 kg | 1690 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4320 mm | 5400 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1510 mm | 1980 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1360 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2570 mm | 2910 mm |
