1955 Austin A 55 vs. 1961 Riley 4
To start off, 1961 Riley 4 is newer by 6 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1955 Austin A 55. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1955 Austin A 55 would be higher. Both 1955 Austin A 55 and 1961 Riley 4 are equipped with a 1,489 cc engine. In terms of performance, 1961 Riley 4 (63 HP @ 4800 RPM) has 12 more horse power than 1955 Austin A 55. (51 HP @ 4250 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1961 Riley 4 should accelerate faster than 1955 Austin A 55. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1961 Riley 4 weights approximately 85 kg more than 1955 Austin A 55. 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, 1961 Riley 4 (115 Nm @ 3300 RPM) has 5 more torque (in Nm) than 1955 Austin A 55. (110 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1961 Riley 4 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1955 Austin A 55.
Compare all specifications:
| 1955 Austin A 55 | 1961 Riley 4 | |
| Make | Austin | Riley |
| Model | A 55 | 4 |
| Year Released | 1955 | 1961 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1489 cc | 1489 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 51 HP | 63 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4250 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Torque | 110 Nm | 115 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 3300 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1055 kg | 1140 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4250 mm | 4530 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1570 mm | 1620 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1570 mm | 1530 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2530 mm | 2550 mm |
