2006 BMW 550 vs. 1970 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 2006 BMW 550 is newer by 36 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, 2006 BMW 550 (360 HP @ 6300 RPM) has 193 more horse power than 1970 Mercury Cougar. (167 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2006 BMW 550 should accelerate faster than 1970 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2006 BMW 550 weights approximately 75 kg more than 1970 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, 2006 BMW 550 (488 Nm @ 3400 RPM) has 125 more torque (in Nm) than 1970 Mercury Cougar. (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 2006 BMW 550 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1970 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 2006 BMW 550 | 1970 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 550 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 2006 | 1970 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4799 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 360 HP | 167 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6300 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 488 Nm | 363 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3400 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 93.1 mm | 101.7 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 88.4 mm | 88.8 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 10.5:1 | 8.6:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1725 kg | 1650 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4880 mm | 5840 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1850 mm | 2000 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1470 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2890 mm | 2860 mm |
