1952 Austin A 40 vs. 1959 Porsche 356
To start off, 1959 Porsche 356 is newer by 7 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1952 Austin A 40. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1952 Austin A 40 would be higher. At 1,582 cc (4 cylinders), 1959 Porsche 356 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1959 Porsche 356 (75 HP @ 5000 RPM) has 34 more horse power than 1952 Austin A 40. (41 HP @ 4500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1959 Porsche 356 should accelerate faster than 1952 Austin A 40. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1952 Austin A 40 weights approximately 162 kg more than 1959 Porsche 356.
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, 1959 Porsche 356 (119 Nm @ 3700 RPM) has 40 more torque (in Nm) than 1952 Austin A 40. (79 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1959 Porsche 356 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1952 Austin A 40.
Compare all specifications:
| 1952 Austin A 40 | 1959 Porsche 356 | |
| Make | Austin | Porsche |
| Model | A 40 | 356 |
| Year Released | 1952 | 1959 |
| Engine Position | Front | Rear |
| Engine Size | 1199 cc | 1582 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | boxer |
| Horse Power | 41 HP | 75 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4500 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Torque | 79 Nm | 119 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 3700 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 65.5 mm | 82.5 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 89 mm | 74 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 7.2:1 | 8.5:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1000 kg | 838 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4060 mm | 3960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1610 mm | 1670 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1590 mm | 1310 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2360 mm | 2110 mm |
