2005 BMW 520 vs. 1980 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 2005 BMW 520 is newer by 25 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1980 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1980 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 4,184 cc (8 cylinders), 1980 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2005 BMW 520 (168 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 52 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (116 HP @ 3400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2005 BMW 520 should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2005 BMW 520 weights approximately 150 kg more than 1980 Mercury Cougar. 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, 1980 Mercury Cougar (264 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 53 more torque (in Nm) than 2005 BMW 520. (211 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1980 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2005 BMW 520.
Compare all specifications:
| 2005 BMW 520 | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 520 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 2005 | 1980 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2171 cc | 4184 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 168 HP | 116 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 211 Nm | 264 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 2200 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Premium | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1560 kg | 1410 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4850 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1850 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1470 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2950 mm | 2690 mm |
