1962 AC Cobra vs. 1959 Riley 4
To start off, 1962 AC Cobra is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1959 Riley 4. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1959 Riley 4 would be higher. At 4,265 cc (8 cylinders), 1962 AC Cobra is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1962 AC Cobra (256 HP @ 5800 RPM) has 193 more horse power than 1959 Riley 4. (63 HP @ 4800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1962 AC Cobra should accelerate faster than 1959 Riley 4. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1959 Riley 4 weights approximately 156 kg more than 1962 AC Cobra.
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, 1962 AC Cobra (365 Nm @ 4800 RPM) has 250 more torque (in Nm) than 1959 Riley 4. (115 Nm @ 3300 RPM). This means 1962 AC Cobra will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1959 Riley 4.
Compare all specifications:
| 1962 AC Cobra | 1959 Riley 4 | |
| Make | AC | Riley |
| Model | Cobra | 4 |
| Year Released | 1962 | 1959 |
| Body Type | Roadster | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4265 cc | 1487 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 256 HP | 63 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5800 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Torque | 365 Nm | 115 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4800 RPM | 3300 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Top Speed | 233 km/hour | 142 km/hour |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 984 kg | 1140 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3850 mm | 4530 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1560 mm | 1620 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1250 mm | 1530 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2290 mm | 2530 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 68 L | 45 L |
