1959 Austin Princess vs. 1964 Bristol 408
To start off, 1964 Bristol 408 is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1959 Austin Princess. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1959 Austin Princess would be higher. At 5,130 cc (8 cylinders), 1964 Bristol 408 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1964 Bristol 408 (216 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 98 more horse power than 1959 Austin Princess. (118 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1964 Bristol 408 should accelerate faster than 1959 Austin Princess. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1959 Austin Princess weights approximately 595 kg more than 1964 Bristol 408.
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, 1964 Bristol 408 (463 Nm @ 2800 RPM) has 212 more torque (in Nm) than 1959 Austin Princess. (251 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1964 Bristol 408 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1959 Austin Princess. 1964 Bristol 408 has automatic transmission and 1959 Austin Princess has manual transmission. 1959 Austin Princess will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1964 Bristol 408 will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1959 Austin Princess | 1964 Bristol 408 | |
| Make | Austin | Bristol |
| Model | Princess | 408 |
| Year Released | 1959 | 1964 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3993 cc | 5130 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 118 HP | 216 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 251 Nm | 463 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 2800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Vehicle Weight | 2180 kg | 1585 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5470 mm | 4920 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1900 mm | 1740 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1780 mm | 1510 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3360 mm | 2910 mm |
