1996 BMW 540 vs. 1980 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1996 BMW 540 is newer by 16 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 4,397 cc (8 cylinders), 1996 BMW 540 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1996 BMW 540 (282 HP @ 5400 RPM) has 192 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (90 HP @ 4600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1996 BMW 540 should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1996 BMW 540 weights approximately 500 kg more than 1980 Mercury Cougar. 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, 1996 BMW 540 (440 Nm @ 3600 RPM) has 276 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (164 Nm @ 2600 RPM). This means 1996 BMW 540 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1996 BMW 540 | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 540 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1996 | 1980 |
| Body Type | Station Wagon | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4397 cc | 2301 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 282 HP | 90 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5400 RPM | 4600 RPM |
| Torque | 440 Nm | 164 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3600 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 92 mm | 96 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 82.7 mm | 79.5 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 5 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1815 kg | 1315 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4810 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1450 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2830 mm | 2690 mm |
