1968 Buick Riviera vs. 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood
To start off, 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1968 Buick Riviera. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1968 Buick Riviera would be higher. At 7,725 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood (345 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 40 more horse power than 1968 Buick Riviera. (305 HP @ 5000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood should accelerate faster than 1968 Buick Riviera. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood weights approximately 323 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, 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood (679 Nm @ 2800 RPM) has 34 more torque (in Nm) than 1968 Buick Riviera. (645 Nm @ 3200 RPM). This means 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1968 Buick Riviera.
Compare all specifications:
| 1968 Buick Riviera | 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood | |
| Make | Buick | Cadillac |
| Model | Riviera | Fleetwood |
| Year Released | 1968 | 1971 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 7050 cc | 7725 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 305 HP | 345 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5000 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 645 Nm | 679 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3200 RPM | 2800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 106.2 mm | 109.2 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 99.4 mm | 103.1 mm |
| Top Speed | 193 km/hour | 193 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 | 2223 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5370 mm | 5810 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2020 mm | 2040 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1420 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3030 mm | 3380 mm |
