1968 Buick Riviera vs. 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood
To start off, 1968 Buick Riviera is newer by 9 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 7,050 cc (8 cylinders), 1968 Buick Riviera is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood (325 HP @ 4800 RPM) has 20 more horse power than 1968 Buick Riviera. (305 HP @ 5000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood should accelerate faster than 1968 Buick Riviera. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood weights approximately 672 kg more than 1968 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, 1968 Buick Riviera (645 Nm @ 3200 RPM) has 62 more torque (in Nm) than 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood. (583 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1968 Buick Riviera will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood.
Compare all specifications:
| 1968 Buick Riviera | 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood | |
| Make | Buick | Cadillac |
| Model | Riviera | Fleetwood |
| Year Released | 1968 | 1959 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 7050 cc | 6382 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 305 HP | 325 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5000 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Torque | 645 Nm | 583 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3200 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 106.2 mm | 101.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 99.4 mm | 98.4 mm |
| Top Speed | 193 km/hour | 180 km/hour |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1900 kg | 2572 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5370 mm | 6160 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2020 mm | 2060 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1510 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3030 mm | 3810 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 75 L | 80 L |
