1950 Austin A 40 vs. 1976 Reliant Kitten
To start off, 1976 Reliant Kitten is newer by 26 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 1,200 cc (4 cylinders), 1950 Austin A 40 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1950 Austin A 40 (49 HP @ 4800 RPM) has 9 more horse power than 1976 Reliant Kitten. (40 HP @ 5500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1950 Austin A 40 should accelerate faster than 1976 Reliant Kitten. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1950 Austin A 40 weights approximately 431 kg more than 1976 Reliant Kitten. 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, 1950 Austin A 40 (84 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 21 more torque (in Nm) than 1976 Reliant Kitten. (63 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1950 Austin A 40 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1976 Reliant Kitten.
Compare all specifications:
| 1950 Austin A 40 | 1976 Reliant Kitten | |
| Make | Austin | Reliant |
| Model | A 40 | Kitten |
| Year Released | 1950 | 1976 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1200 cc | 848 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 49 HP | 40 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4800 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 84 Nm | 63 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 3500 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 65.5 mm | 62.5 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 89 mm | 69.1 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 7.2:1 | 9.5:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 3 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 966 kg | 535 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4060 mm | 3330 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1560 mm | 1430 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1470 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2360 mm | 2150 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 34 L | 27 L |
