1963 Buick Riviera vs. 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood
To start off, 1963 Buick Riviera is newer by 4 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood would be higher. At 6,571 cc (8 cylinders), 1963 Buick Riviera is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood (325 HP @ 4800 RPM) has 4 more horse power than 1963 Buick Riviera. (321 HP @ 4400 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood should accelerate faster than 1963 Buick Riviera. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood weights approximately 712 kg more than 1963 Buick Riviera. 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, 1963 Buick Riviera (603 Nm @ 2800 RPM) has 20 more torque (in Nm) than 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood. (583 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1963 Buick Riviera will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood.
Compare all specifications:
| 1963 Buick Riviera | 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood | |
| Make | Buick | Cadillac |
| Model | Riviera | Fleetwood |
| Year Released | 1963 | 1959 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 6571 cc | 6382 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Horse Power | 321 HP | 325 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4400 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Torque | 603 Nm | 583 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2800 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 106.2 mm | 101.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 92.5 mm | 98.4 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 6.6:1 | 10.5:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1860 kg | 2572 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5290 mm | 6160 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1950 mm | 2060 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1350 mm | 1510 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3030 mm | 3810 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 75 L | 80 L |
