2000 Caterham 21 vs. 1970 Mercury Montego
To start off, 2000 Caterham 21 is newer by 30 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Mercury Montego. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Mercury Montego would be higher. At 4,095 cc (6 cylinders), 1970 Mercury Montego is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2000 Caterham 21 (230 HP @ 8600 RPM) has 132 more horse power than 1970 Mercury Montego. (98 HP @ 3600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2000 Caterham 21 should accelerate faster than 1970 Mercury Montego. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Mercury Montego weights approximately 1155 kg more than 2000 Caterham 21.
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 Montego (248 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 38 more torque (in Nm) than 2000 Caterham 21. (210 Nm @ 7200 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Montego will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2000 Caterham 21.
Compare all specifications:
| 2000 Caterham 21 | 1970 Mercury Montego | |
| Make | Caterham | Mercury |
| Model | 21 | Montego |
| Year Released | 2000 | 1970 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1794 cc | 4095 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 230 HP | 98 HP |
| Engine RPM | 8600 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 210 Nm | 248 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 7200 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 80 mm | 93.5 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 89.3 mm | 99.3 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 11.5:1 | 8.0:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 6 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 540 kg | 1695 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3860 mm | 5300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1590 mm | 2010 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2230 mm | 3010 mm |
