2003 Caterham 7 vs. 1970 Mercury Montego
To start off, 2003 Caterham 7 is newer by 33 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, 2003 Caterham 7 (160 HP @ 7500 RPM) has 62 more horse power than 1970 Mercury Montego. (98 HP @ 3600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2003 Caterham 7 should accelerate faster than 1970 Mercury Montego. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Mercury Montego weights approximately 1195 kg more than 2003 Caterham 7.
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 72 more torque (in Nm) than 2003 Caterham 7. (176 Nm @ 5750 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Montego will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2003 Caterham 7.
Compare all specifications:
| 2003 Caterham 7 | 1970 Mercury Montego | |
| Make | Caterham | Mercury |
| Model | 7 | Montego |
| Year Released | 2003 | 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 | 160 HP | 98 HP |
| Engine RPM | 7500 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 176 Nm | 248 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5750 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 80 mm | 93.5 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 89.3 mm | 99.3 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 6 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 500 kg | 1695 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3110 mm | 5300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1580 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 810 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2230 mm | 3010 mm |
