1957 Abarth 500 vs. 1971 Fiat 850
To start off, 1971 Fiat 850 is newer by 14 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1957 Abarth 500. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1957 Abarth 500 would be higher. At 847 cc (4 cylinders), 1971 Fiat 850 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Fiat 850 (51 HP @ 5800 RPM) has 28 more horse power than 1957 Abarth 500. (23 HP @ 5200 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1971 Fiat 850 should accelerate faster than 1957 Abarth 500.
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, 1971 Fiat 850 (69 Nm @ 4500 RPM) has 36 more torque (in Nm) than 1957 Abarth 500. (33 Nm @ 3800 RPM). This means 1971 Fiat 850 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1957 Abarth 500.
Compare all specifications:
| 1957 Abarth 500 | 1971 Fiat 850 | |
| Make | Abarth | Fiat |
| Model | 500 | 850 |
| Year Released | 1957 | 1971 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Rear | Rear |
| Engine Size | 479 cc | 847 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 2 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 23 HP | 51 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5200 RPM | 5800 RPM |
| Torque | 33 Nm | 69 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3800 RPM | 4500 RPM |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.7:1 | 9.2:1 |
| Top Speed | 145 km/hour | 153 km/hour |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Length | 3350 mm | 3660 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1260 mm | 1510 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1220 mm | 1310 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 1850 mm | 2040 mm |
