2006 Mazda RX-8 vs. 1980 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 2006 Mazda RX-8 is newer by 26 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 2,301 cc (4 cylinders), 1980 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2006 Mazda RX-8 (108 HP @ 8200 RPM) has 18 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (90 HP @ 4600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2006 Mazda RX-8 should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar.
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 (164 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 24 more torque (in Nm) than 2006 Mazda RX-8. (140 Nm @ 5500 RPM). This means 1980 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2006 Mazda RX-8.
Compare all specifications:
| 2006 Mazda RX-8 | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Mazda | Mercury |
| Model | RX-8 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 2006 | 1980 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1308 cc | 2301 cc |
| Engine Type | dual-disk rotary | in-line |
| Horse Power | 108 HP | 90 HP |
| Engine RPM | 8200 RPM | 4600 RPM |
| Torque | 140 Nm | 164 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5500 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Length | 4430 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1780 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1350 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2710 mm | 2690 mm |
