1998 BMW 318 vs. 1970 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1998 BMW 318 is newer by 28 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1970 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1970 Mercury Cougar (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 52 more horse power than 1998 BMW 318. (115 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1970 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1998 BMW 318. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 340 kg more than 1998 BMW 318. 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, 1970 Mercury Cougar (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 183 more torque (in Nm) than 1998 BMW 318. (180 Nm @ 3750 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1998 BMW 318.
Compare all specifications:
| 1998 BMW 318 | 1970 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 318 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1998 | 1970 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1796 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 115 HP | 167 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 180 Nm | 363 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3750 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 84 mm | 101.7 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 81 mm | 88.8 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 10.5:1 | 8.6:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Premium | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1310 kg | 1650 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4480 mm | 5840 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1750 mm | 2000 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1420 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2730 mm | 2860 mm |
