2003 Acura NSX vs. 1974 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 2003 Acura NSX is newer by 29 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1974 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1974 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,764 cc (8 cylinders), 1974 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2003 Acura NSX (249 HP @ 6600 RPM) has 97 more horse power than 1974 Mercury Cougar. (152 HP @ 3600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2003 Acura NSX should accelerate faster than 1974 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1974 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 600 kg more than 2003 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, 1974 Mercury Cougar (377 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 92 more torque (in Nm) than 2003 Acura NSX. (285 Nm @ 5300 RPM). This means 1974 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2003 Acura NSX.
Compare all specifications:
| 2003 Acura NSX | 1974 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Acura | Mercury |
| Model | NSX | Cougar |
| Year Released | 2003 | 1974 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2977 cc | 5764 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 249 HP | 152 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6600 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 285 Nm | 377 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5300 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1430 kg | 2030 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4430 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1820 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1180 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2540 mm | 2910 mm |
