1968 Ford Escort vs. 1971 Ford Cortina
To start off, 1971 Ford Cortina is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1968 Ford Escort. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1968 Ford Escort would be higher. Both 1968 Ford Escort and 1971 Ford Cortina are equipped with a 1,298 cc engine. In terms of performance, both vehicles can yield 56 horse power. So under normal driving conditions, the acceleration of both vehicles should be relatively similar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Ford Cortina weights approximately 140 kg more than 1968 Ford Escort.
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 Ford Escort (98 Nm @ 2500 RPM) has 7 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Ford Cortina. (91 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1968 Ford Escort will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1968 Ford Escort | 1971 Ford Cortina | |
| Make | Ford | Ford |
| Model | Escort | Cortina |
| Year Released | 1968 | 1971 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1298 cc | 1298 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 56 HP | 56 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5000 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 98 Nm | 91 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2500 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.0:1 | 9.0:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 805 kg | 945 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3980 mm | 4270 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1580 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1350 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2410 mm | 2570 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 41 L | 55 L |
