1950 Bristol 401 vs. 1960 Riley 4
To start off, 1960 Riley 4 is newer by 10 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1950 Bristol 401. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1950 Bristol 401 would be higher. At 1,971 cc (6 cylinders), 1950 Bristol 401 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1950 Bristol 401 (72 HP @ 4500 RPM) has 9 more horse power than 1960 Riley 4. (63 HP @ 4800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1950 Bristol 401 should accelerate faster than 1960 Riley 4. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1950 Bristol 401 weights approximately 85 kg more than 1960 Riley 4. 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 Bristol 401 (145 Nm @ 3500 RPM) has 29 more torque (in Nm) than 1960 Riley 4. (116 Nm @ 3300 RPM). This means 1950 Bristol 401 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1960 Riley 4.
Compare all specifications:
| 1950 Bristol 401 | 1960 Riley 4 | |
| Make | Bristol | Riley |
| Model | 401 | 4 |
| Year Released | 1950 | 1960 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1971 cc | 1489 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 72 HP | 63 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4500 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Torque | 145 Nm | 116 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 3300 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 66 mm | 73 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 96 mm | 88.9 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1225 kg | 1140 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4870 mm | 4530 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1620 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1530 mm | 1530 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2900 mm | 2530 mm |
