1951 Bristol 401 vs. 1984 Porsche 911
To start off, 1984 Porsche 911 is newer by 33 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1951 Bristol 401. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1951 Bristol 401 would be higher. At 3,164 cc (6 cylinders), 1984 Porsche 911 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1984 Porsche 911 (229 HP @ 5900 RPM) has 157 more horse power than 1951 Bristol 401. (72 HP @ 4500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1984 Porsche 911 should accelerate faster than 1951 Bristol 401. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1984 Porsche 911 weights approximately 5 kg more than 1951 Bristol 401. 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, 1984 Porsche 911 (286 Nm @ 4800 RPM) has 141 more torque (in Nm) than 1951 Bristol 401. (145 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1984 Porsche 911 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1951 Bristol 401.
Compare all specifications:
| 1951 Bristol 401 | 1984 Porsche 911 | |
| Make | Bristol | Porsche |
| Model | 401 | 911 |
| Year Released | 1951 | 1984 |
| Engine Position | Front | Rear |
| Engine Size | 1970 cc | 3164 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | boxer |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 72 HP | 229 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4500 RPM | 5900 RPM |
| Torque | 145 Nm | 286 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 66 mm | 95 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 96 mm | 74.4 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1225 kg | 1230 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4870 mm | 4300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1660 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1530 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2900 mm | 2280 mm |
