1958 Austin A 40 vs. 1983 Toyota Century
To start off, 1983 Toyota Century is newer by 25 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1958 Austin A 40. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1958 Austin A 40 would be higher. At 3,995 cc (8 cylinders), 1983 Toyota Century is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1983 Toyota Century (153 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 118 more horse power than 1958 Austin A 40. (35 HP @ 4750 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1983 Toyota Century should accelerate faster than 1958 Austin A 40. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1983 Toyota Century weights approximately 1039 kg more than 1958 Austin A 40. 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, 1983 Toyota Century (289 Nm @ 3600 RPM) has 221 more torque (in Nm) than 1958 Austin A 40. (68 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1983 Toyota Century will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1958 Austin A 40. 1983 Toyota Century has automatic transmission and 1958 Austin A 40 has manual transmission. 1958 Austin A 40 will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1983 Toyota Century will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1958 Austin A 40 | 1983 Toyota Century | |
| Make | Austin | Toyota |
| Model | A 40 | Century |
| Year Released | 1958 | 1983 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 948 cc | 3995 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 35 HP | 153 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4750 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 68 Nm | 289 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 761 kg | 1800 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3670 mm | 4990 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1520 mm | 1900 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1450 mm | 1470 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2130 mm | 2870 mm |
