2002 Acura NSX vs. 1970 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 2002 Acura NSX is newer by 32 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, 2002 Acura NSX (249 HP @ 6600 RPM) has 82 more horse power than 1970 Mercury Cougar. (167 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2002 Acura NSX should accelerate faster than 1970 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 220 kg more than 2002 Acura NSX.
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 78 more torque (in Nm) than 2002 Acura NSX. (285 Nm @ 5300 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2002 Acura NSX. 2002 Acura NSX has automatic transmission and 1970 Mercury Cougar has manual transmission. 1970 Mercury Cougar will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 2002 Acura NSX will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 2002 Acura NSX | 1970 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Acura | Mercury |
| Model | NSX | Cougar |
| Year Released | 2002 | 1970 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2977 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 249 HP | 167 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6600 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 285 Nm | 363 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5300 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 90.1 mm | 101.7 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 78 mm | 88.8 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1430 kg | 1650 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4430 mm | 5840 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1820 mm | 2000 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1180 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2540 mm | 2860 mm |
