2009 Lotus Elise vs. 1972 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 2009 Lotus Elise is newer by 37 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1972 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1972 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1972 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2009 Lotus Elise (189 HP @ 7800 RPM) has 22 more horse power than 1972 Mercury Cougar. (167 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2009 Lotus Elise should accelerate faster than 1972 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1972 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 706 kg more than 2009 Lotus Elise.
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, 1972 Mercury Cougar (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 182 more torque (in Nm) than 2009 Lotus Elise. (181 Nm @ 6800 RPM). This means 1972 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2009 Lotus Elise.
Compare all specifications:
2009 Lotus Elise | 1972 Mercury Cougar | |
Make | Lotus | Mercury |
Model | Elise | Cougar |
Year Released | 2009 | 1972 |
Body Type | Roadster | Coupe |
Engine Position | Middle | Front |
Engine Size | 1796 cc | 5769 cc |
Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
Horse Power | 189 HP | 167 HP |
Engine RPM | 7800 RPM | 4000 RPM |
Torque | 181 Nm | 363 Nm |
Torque RPM | 6800 RPM | 2400 RPM |
Engine Bore Size | 82 mm | 101.6 mm |
Engine Stroke Size | 85 mm | 88.8 mm |
Fuel Type | Gasoline - Premium | Gasoline |
Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
Vehicle Weight | 950 kg | 1656 kg |
Vehicle Length | 3790 mm | 5080 mm |
Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1920 mm |
Vehicle Height | 1120 mm | 1310 mm |
Wheelbase Size | 2310 mm | 2860 mm |