1963 Buick Riviera vs. 1981 Nissan Laurel
To start off, 1981 Nissan Laurel is newer by 18 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1963 Buick Riviera. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1963 Buick Riviera would be higher. At 6,571 cc (8 cylinders), 1963 Buick Riviera is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1963 Buick Riviera (321 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 225 more horse power than 1981 Nissan Laurel. (96 HP @ 5600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1963 Buick Riviera should accelerate faster than 1981 Nissan Laurel. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1963 Buick Riviera weights approximately 732 kg more than 1981 Nissan Laurel. 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 468 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Nissan Laurel. (135 Nm @ 3600 RPM). This means 1963 Buick Riviera will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Nissan Laurel.
Compare all specifications:
| 1963 Buick Riviera | 1981 Nissan Laurel | |
| Make | Buick | Nissan |
| Model | Riviera | Laurel |
| Year Released | 1963 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 6571 cc | 1998 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 321 HP | 96 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4400 RPM | 5600 RPM |
| Torque | 603 Nm | 135 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2800 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| 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 | 1128 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5290 mm | 4060 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1950 mm | 1630 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1350 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3030 mm | 2410 mm |
