1968 Buick Riviera vs. 1981 Toyota Soarer
To start off, 1981 Toyota Soarer is newer by 13 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 7,050 cc (8 cylinders), 1968 Buick Riviera is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1968 Buick Riviera (305 HP @ 5000 RPM) has 148 more horse power than 1981 Toyota Soarer. (157 HP @ 5600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1968 Buick Riviera should accelerate faster than 1981 Toyota Soarer. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1968 Buick Riviera weights approximately 595 kg more than 1981 Toyota Soarer. 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 410 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Toyota Soarer. (235 Nm @ 4400 RPM). This means 1968 Buick Riviera will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Toyota Soarer. 1968 Buick Riviera has automatic transmission and 1981 Toyota Soarer has manual transmission. 1981 Toyota Soarer will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1968 Buick Riviera will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1968 Buick Riviera | 1981 Toyota Soarer | |
| Make | Buick | Toyota |
| Model | Riviera | Soarer |
| Year Released | 1968 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 7050 cc | 2759 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 305 HP | 157 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5000 RPM | 5600 RPM |
| Torque | 645 Nm | 235 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3200 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 106.2 mm | 83 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 99.4 mm | 85 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1900 kg | 1305 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5370 mm | 4660 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2020 mm | 1700 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3030 mm | 2670 mm |
