2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. 1968 Mercury Montclair
To start off, 2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata is newer by 37 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1968 Mercury Montclair. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1968 Mercury Montclair would be higher. At 6,393 cc (8 cylinders), 1968 Mercury Montclair is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1968 Mercury Montclair (267 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 155 more horse power than 2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata. (112 HP @ 6500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1968 Mercury Montclair should accelerate faster than 2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1968 Mercury Montclair weights approximately 973 kg more than 2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata. 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, 1968 Mercury Montclair (546 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 422 more torque (in Nm) than 2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata. (124 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1968 Mercury Montclair will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
Compare all specifications:
| 2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata | 1968 Mercury Montclair | |
| Make | Mazda | Mercury |
| Model | MX-5 Miata | Montclair |
| Year Released | 2005 | 1968 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1498 cc | 6393 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 112 HP | 267 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 124 Nm | 546 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 78 mm | 103 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 83.6 mm | 96 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1025 kg | 1998 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3960 mm | 5560 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1690 mm | 1990 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1240 mm | 1410 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2270 mm | 3130 mm |
