1949 Austin A 40 vs. 1966 Riley 4
To start off, 1966 Riley 4 is newer by 17 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1949 Austin A 40. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1949 Austin A 40 would be higher. At 1,622 cc (4 cylinders), 1966 Riley 4 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1966 Riley 4 (67 HP) has 29 more horse power than 1949 Austin A 40. (38 HP) In normal driving conditions, 1966 Riley 4 should accelerate faster than 1949 Austin A 40. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1966 Riley 4 weights approximately 178 kg more than 1949 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, 1966 Riley 4 (122 Nm @ 2500 RPM) has 42 more torque (in Nm) than 1949 Austin A 40. (80 Nm @ 2300 RPM). This means 1966 Riley 4 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1949 Austin A 40.
Compare all specifications:
| 1949 Austin A 40 | 1966 Riley 4 | |
| Make | Austin | Riley |
| Model | A 40 | 4 |
| Year Released | 1949 | 1966 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1198 cc | 1622 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 38 HP | 67 HP |
| Torque | 80 Nm | 122 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2300 RPM | 2500 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 65.5 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 89 mm | 88.9 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 970 kg | 1148 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3890 mm | 4540 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1560 mm | 1620 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1620 mm | 1530 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2360 mm | 2530 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 48 L | 45 L |
