1958 Abarth 600 vs. 1973 Rover 3.5 Litre
To start off, 1973 Rover 3.5 Litre is newer by 15 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1958 Abarth 600. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1958 Abarth 600 would be higher. At 3,532 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Rover 3.5 Litre is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Rover 3.5 Litre (150 HP @ 5000 RPM) has 109 more horse power than 1958 Abarth 600. (41 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1973 Rover 3.5 Litre should accelerate faster than 1958 Abarth 600. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Rover 3.5 Litre weights approximately 1050 kg more than 1958 Abarth 600. 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, 1973 Rover 3.5 Litre (276 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 222 more torque (in Nm) than 1958 Abarth 600. (54 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1973 Rover 3.5 Litre will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1958 Abarth 600. 1973 Rover 3.5 Litre has automatic transmission and 1958 Abarth 600 has manual transmission. 1958 Abarth 600 will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1973 Rover 3.5 Litre will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1958 Abarth 600 | 1973 Rover 3.5 Litre | |
| Make | Abarth | Rover |
| Model | 600 | 3.5 Litre |
| Year Released | 1958 | 1973 |
| Engine Position | Rear | Front |
| Engine Size | 747 cc | 3532 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 41 HP | 150 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Torque | 54 Nm | 276 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 585 kg | 1635 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3300 mm | 4750 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1390 mm | 1790 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1410 mm | 1550 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2010 mm | 2820 mm |
