1948 Austin A 40 vs. 1988 BMW 520
To start off, 1988 BMW 520 is newer by 40 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 1,989 cc (6 cylinders), 1988 BMW 520 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1988 BMW 520 (129 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 91 more horse power than 1948 Austin A 40. (38 HP @ 4300 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1988 BMW 520 should accelerate faster than 1948 Austin A 40. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1988 BMW 520 weights approximately 600 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, 1988 BMW 520 (174 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 94 more torque (in Nm) than 1948 Austin A 40. (80 Nm @ 2300 RPM). This means 1988 BMW 520 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 | 1988 BMW 520 | |
| Make | Austin | BMW |
| Model | A 40 | 520 |
| Year Released | 1948 | 1988 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1200 cc | 1989 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 38 HP | 129 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4300 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 80 Nm | 174 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2300 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 65.5 mm | 80 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 89 mm | 66 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 970 kg | 1570 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3890 mm | 4780 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1560 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1620 mm | 1440 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2360 mm | 2770 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 48 L | 70 L |
