1948 Austin A 40 vs. 1965 Bristol 409
To start off, 1965 Bristol 409 is newer by 17 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1948 Austin A 40. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1948 Austin A 40 would be higher. At 5,211 cc (8 cylinders), 1965 Bristol 409 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1965 Bristol 409 (215 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 177 more horse power than 1948 Austin A 40. (38 HP @ 4300 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1965 Bristol 409 should accelerate faster than 1948 Austin A 40. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1965 Bristol 409 weights approximately 630 kg more than 1948 Austin A 40. 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, 1965 Bristol 409 (463 Nm @ 2800 RPM) has 383 more torque (in Nm) than 1948 Austin A 40. (80 Nm @ 2300 RPM). This means 1965 Bristol 409 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1948 Austin A 40.
Compare all specifications:
| 1948 Austin A 40 | 1965 Bristol 409 | |
| Make | Austin | Bristol |
| Model | A 40 | 409 |
| Year Released | 1948 | 1965 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1200 cc | 5211 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 38 HP | 215 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4300 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 80 Nm | 463 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2300 RPM | 2800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 65.5 mm | 98.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 89 mm | 84.1 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 970 kg | 1600 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3890 mm | 4920 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1560 mm | 1740 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1620 mm | 1510 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2360 mm | 2910 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 48 L | 81 L |
