2007 BMW 523 vs. 1981 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 2007 BMW 523 is newer by 26 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, 2007 BMW 523 (175 HP @ 5800 RPM) has 61 more horse power than 1981 Mercury Cougar. (114 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2007 BMW 523 should accelerate faster than 1981 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2007 BMW 523 weights approximately 144 kg more than 1981 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, 1981 Mercury Cougar (237 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 7 more torque (in Nm) than 2007 BMW 523. (230 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1981 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2007 BMW 523.
Compare all specifications:
| 2007 BMW 523 | 1981 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | BMW | Mercury |
| Model | 523 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 2007 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2497 cc | 3797 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 175 HP | 114 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5800 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 230 Nm | 237 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 5 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1500 kg | 1356 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4850 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1470 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1850 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2890 mm | 2690 mm |
