1998 Mercury Grand Marquis vs. 1988 Mitsubishi Starion
To start off, 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis is newer by 10 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1988 Mitsubishi Starion. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1988 Mitsubishi Starion 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 121 more horse power than 1988 Mitsubishi Starion. (102 HP @ 5500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis should accelerate faster than 1988 Mitsubishi Starion. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 607 kg more than 1988 Mitsubishi Starion. 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 208 more torque (in Nm) than 1988 Mitsubishi Starion. (164 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1988 Mitsubishi Starion. 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis has automatic transmission and 1988 Mitsubishi Starion has manual transmission. 1988 Mitsubishi Starion will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis | 1988 Mitsubishi Starion | |
| Make | Mercury | Mitsubishi |
| Model | Grand Marquis | Starion |
| Year Released | 1998 | 1988 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4603 cc | 1995 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 223 HP | 102 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4500 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 372 Nm | 164 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 3500 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1732 kg | 1125 kg |
