1957 Fairthorpe Electron vs. 1970 Riley 4
To start off, 1970 Riley 4 is newer by 13 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1957 Fairthorpe Electron. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1957 Fairthorpe Electron would be higher. At 1,622 cc (4 cylinders), 1970 Riley 4 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1957 Fairthorpe Electron (83 HP @ 6800 RPM) has 16 more horse power than 1970 Riley 4. (67 HP @ 5000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1957 Fairthorpe Electron should accelerate faster than 1970 Riley 4. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Riley 4 weights approximately 606 kg more than 1957 Fairthorpe Electron.
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, 1970 Riley 4 (120 Nm @ 2500 RPM) has 21 more torque (in Nm) than 1957 Fairthorpe Electron. (99 Nm @ 4750 RPM). This means 1970 Riley 4 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1957 Fairthorpe Electron.
Compare all specifications:
| 1957 Fairthorpe Electron | 1970 Riley 4 | |
| Make | Fairthorpe | Riley |
| Model | Electron | 4 |
| Year Released | 1957 | 1970 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1098 cc | 1622 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 83 HP | 67 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6800 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Torque | 99 Nm | 120 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4750 RPM | 2500 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 72.4 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 66.7 mm | 88.9 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 542 kg | 1148 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3660 mm | 4540 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1530 mm | 1620 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1170 mm | 1510 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2090 mm | 2530 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 45 L | 45 L |
