2007 Lotus Exige vs. 1973 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 2007 Lotus Exige is newer by 34 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 7,542 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Cougar (213 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 24 more horse power than 2007 Lotus Exige. (189 HP @ 7800 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 2007 Lotus Exige. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 1189 kg more than 2007 Lotus Exige. 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, 1973 Mercury Cougar (498 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 318 more torque (in Nm) than 2007 Lotus Exige. (180 Nm @ 6800 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2007 Lotus Exige.
Compare all specifications:
| 2007 Lotus Exige | 1973 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Exige | Cougar |
| Year Released | 2007 | 1973 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 1796 cc | 7542 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 189 HP | 213 HP |
| Engine RPM | 7800 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 180 Nm | 498 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 6800 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Premium | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 916 kg | 2105 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3800 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1730 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1170 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2310 mm | 2910 mm |
