1950 Austin A 40 vs. 1963 Bristol 408
To start off, 1963 Bristol 408 is newer by 13 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1950 Austin A 40. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1950 Austin A 40 would be higher. At 5,129 cc (8 cylinders), 1963 Bristol 408 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1963 Bristol 408 (215 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 166 more horse power than 1950 Austin A 40. (49 HP @ 4800 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1963 Bristol 408 should accelerate faster than 1950 Austin A 40. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1963 Bristol 408 weights approximately 619 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, 1963 Bristol 408 (463 Nm @ 2800 RPM) has 379 more torque (in Nm) than 1950 Austin A 40. (84 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1963 Bristol 408 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 | 1963 Bristol 408 | |
| Make | Austin | Bristol |
| Model | A 40 | 408 |
| Year Released | 1950 | 1963 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1200 cc | 5129 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 49 HP | 215 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4800 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 84 Nm | 463 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 2800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 65.5 mm | 98.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 89 mm | 84.1 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 7.2:1 | 9.0:1 |
| Top Speed | 127 km/hour | 203 km/hour |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 966 kg | 1585 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4060 mm | 4920 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1560 mm | 1730 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1470 mm | 1510 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2360 mm | 2910 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 34 L | 72 L |
