1951 Austin Princess vs. 1964 Bristol 408
To start off, 1964 Bristol 408 is newer by 13 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1951 Austin Princess. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1951 Austin Princess would be higher. At 5,130 cc (8 cylinders), 1964 Bristol 408 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1964 Bristol 408 (216 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 92 more horse power than 1951 Austin Princess. (124 HP @ 3800 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1964 Bristol 408 should accelerate faster than 1951 Austin Princess. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1951 Austin Princess weights approximately 370 kg more than 1964 Bristol 408.
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, 1964 Bristol 408 (463 Nm @ 2800 RPM) has 175 more torque (in Nm) than 1951 Austin Princess. (288 Nm @ 2200 RPM). This means 1964 Bristol 408 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1951 Austin Princess. 1964 Bristol 408 has automatic transmission and 1951 Austin Princess has manual transmission. 1951 Austin Princess will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1964 Bristol 408 will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1951 Austin Princess | 1964 Bristol 408 | |
| Make | Austin | Bristol |
| Model | Princess | 408 |
| Year Released | 1951 | 1964 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3990 cc | 5130 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 124 HP | 216 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3800 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 288 Nm | 463 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2200 RPM | 2800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 87.3 mm | 98.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 111.1 mm | 84.1 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 6.8:1 | 9.0:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1955 kg | 1585 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4880 mm | 4920 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1740 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1710 mm | 1510 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3030 mm | 2910 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 34 L | 81 L |
