1950 Austin A 40 vs. 1949 Bristol 402
To start off, 1950 Austin A 40 is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1949 Bristol 402. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1949 Bristol 402 would be higher. At 1,971 cc (6 cylinders), 1949 Bristol 402 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1949 Bristol 402 (85 HP @ 4500 RPM) has 47 more horse power than 1950 Austin A 40. (38 HP @ 4300 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1949 Bristol 402 should accelerate faster than 1950 Austin A 40. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1949 Bristol 402 weights approximately 255 kg more than 1950 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, 1949 Bristol 402 (145 Nm @ 3500 RPM) has 65 more torque (in Nm) than 1950 Austin A 40. (80 Nm @ 2300 RPM). This means 1949 Bristol 402 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1950 Austin A 40.
Compare all specifications:
| 1950 Austin A 40 | 1949 Bristol 402 | |
| Make | Austin | Bristol |
| Model | A 40 | 402 |
| Year Released | 1950 | 1949 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1200 cc | 1971 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 38 HP | 85 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4300 RPM | 4500 RPM |
| Torque | 80 Nm | 145 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2300 RPM | 3500 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 65.5 mm | 66 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 89 mm | 96 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 970 kg | 1225 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3890 mm | 4870 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1560 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1620 mm | 1530 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2360 mm | 2900 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 48 L | 77 L |
