1949 Bristol 401 vs. 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre
To start off, 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre is newer by 22 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1949 Bristol 401. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1949 Bristol 401 would be higher. At 3,532 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre (148 HP @ 5000 RPM) has 76 more horse power than 1949 Bristol 401. (72 HP @ 4500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre should accelerate faster than 1949 Bristol 401. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre weights approximately 413 kg more than 1949 Bristol 401. 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, 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre (276 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 131 more torque (in Nm) than 1949 Bristol 401. (145 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1949 Bristol 401. 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre has automatic transmission and 1949 Bristol 401 has manual transmission. 1949 Bristol 401 will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1949 Bristol 401 | 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre | |
| Make | Bristol | Rover |
| Model | 401 | 3.5 Litre |
| Year Released | 1949 | 1971 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1971 cc | 3532 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 72 HP | 148 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4500 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Torque | 145 Nm | 276 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 66 mm | 88.9 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 96 mm | 71.1 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Vehicle Weight | 1225 kg | 1638 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4870 mm | 4750 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1790 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1530 mm | 1550 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2900 mm | 2820 mm |
