1991 BMW M12 vs. 1981 Mercury Grand Marquis
To start off, 1991 BMW M12 is newer by 10 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Mercury Grand Marquis. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Mercury Grand Marquis would be higher. At 4,988 cc (12 cylinders), 1991 BMW M12 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1991 BMW M12 (296 HP @ 5200 RPM) has 178 more horse power than 1981 Mercury Grand Marquis. (118 HP @ 3800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1991 BMW M12 should accelerate faster than 1981 Mercury Grand Marquis.
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, 1991 BMW M12 (450 Nm @ 4100 RPM) has 188 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Mercury Grand Marquis. (262 Nm @ 2200 RPM). This means 1991 BMW M12 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Mercury Grand Marquis.
Compare all specifications:
| 1991 BMW M12 | 1981 Mercury Grand Marquis | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | M12 | Grand Marquis |
| Year Released | 1991 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 4988 cc | 4186 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 12 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Horse Power | 296 HP | 118 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5200 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 450 Nm | 262 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4100 RPM | 2200 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Length | 4370 mm | 5400 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2000 mm | 1980 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1110 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2610 mm | 2910 mm |
