1995 Lotus Esprit vs. 1974 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1995 Lotus Esprit is newer by 21 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1974 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1974 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,764 cc (8 cylinders), 1974 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1995 Lotus Esprit (286 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 134 more horse power than 1974 Mercury Cougar. (152 HP @ 3600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1995 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1974 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1974 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 691 kg more than 1995 Lotus Esprit.
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, 1974 Mercury Cougar (377 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 23 more torque (in Nm) than 1995 Lotus Esprit. (354 Nm @ 3900 RPM). This means 1974 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1995 Lotus Esprit.
Compare all specifications:
| 1995 Lotus Esprit | 1974 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Esprit | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1995 | 1974 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 5764 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 286 HP | 152 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 354 Nm | 377 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3900 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1339 kg | 2030 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4380 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1890 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1150 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2430 mm | 2910 mm |
