2006 Lotus Exige vs. 1981 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 2006 Lotus Exige is newer by 25 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 3,797 cc (6 cylinders), 1981 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2006 Lotus Exige (189 HP @ 7800 RPM) has 75 more horse power than 1981 Mercury Cougar. (114 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2006 Lotus Exige should accelerate faster than 1981 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 440 kg more than 2006 Lotus Exige.
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, 1981 Mercury Cougar (237 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 65 more torque (in Nm) than 2006 Lotus Exige. (172 Nm @ 6750 RPM). This means 1981 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2006 Lotus Exige.
Compare all specifications:
2006 Lotus Exige | 1981 Mercury Cougar | |
Make | Lotus | Mercury |
Model | Exige | Cougar |
Year Released | 2006 | 1981 |
Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
Engine Position | Middle | Front |
Engine Size | 1794 cc | 3797 cc |
Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
Horse Power | 189 HP | 114 HP |
Engine RPM | 7800 RPM | 4000 RPM |
Torque | 172 Nm | 237 Nm |
Torque RPM | 6750 RPM | 2600 RPM |
Fuel Type | Gasoline - Premium | Gasoline |
Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
Vehicle Weight | 916 kg | 1356 kg |
Vehicle Length | 3800 mm | 4960 mm |
Vehicle Width | 1730 mm | 1810 mm |
Vehicle Height | 1150 mm | 1370 mm |
Wheelbase Size | 2310 mm | 2690 mm |