1998 Mercury Grand Marquis vs. 1974 Mercury Comet
To start off, 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis is newer by 24 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1974 Mercury Comet. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1974 Mercury Comet would be higher. At 4,603 cc (8 cylinders), 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis (223 HP @ 4500 RPM) has 140 more horse power than 1974 Mercury Comet. (83 HP @ 3800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis should accelerate faster than 1974 Mercury Comet. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 512 kg more than 1974 Mercury Comet. 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, 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis (372 Nm @ 3000 RPM) has 166 more torque (in Nm) than 1974 Mercury Comet. (206 Nm @ 1800 RPM). This means 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1974 Mercury Comet.
Compare all specifications:
| 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis | 1974 Mercury Comet | |
| Make | Mercury | Mercury |
| Model | Grand Marquis | Comet |
| Year Released | 1998 | 1974 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4603 cc | 3272 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 223 HP | 83 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4500 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 372 Nm | 206 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 90.2 mm | 93.5 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 90 mm | 79.5 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1732 kg | 1220 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5390 mm | 4620 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2000 mm | 1800 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1450 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2920 mm | 2630 mm |
