1951 Bristol 400 vs. 2004 Caterham 7
To start off, 2004 Caterham 7 is newer by 53 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1951 Bristol 400. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1951 Bristol 400 would be higher. At 2,261 cc (4 cylinders), 2004 Caterham 7 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2004 Caterham 7 (200 HP @ 7000 RPM) has 121 more horse power than 1951 Bristol 400. (79 HP @ 4200 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2004 Caterham 7 should accelerate faster than 1951 Bristol 400. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1951 Bristol 400 weights approximately 630 kg more than 2004 Caterham 7.
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, 2004 Caterham 7 (224 Nm @ 5750 RPM) has 99 more torque (in Nm) than 1951 Bristol 400. (125 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 2004 Caterham 7 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1951 Bristol 400.
Compare all specifications:
| 1951 Bristol 400 | 2004 Caterham 7 | |
| Make | Bristol | Caterham |
| Model | 400 | 7 |
| Year Released | 1951 | 2004 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1971 cc | 2261 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 79 HP | 200 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4200 RPM | 7000 RPM |
| Torque | 125 Nm | 224 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 5750 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 66 mm | 87.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 96 mm | 94 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1170 kg | 540 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4650 mm | 3310 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1630 mm | 1690 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1510 mm | 1150 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2900 mm | 2230 mm |
