1970 Buick Riviera vs. 1973 Ford Cortina
To start off, 1973 Ford Cortina is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Buick Riviera. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Buick Riviera would be higher. At 7,468 cc (6 cylinders), 1970 Buick Riviera is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1970 Buick Riviera (265 HP @ 4600 RPM) has 209 more horse power than 1973 Ford Cortina. (56 HP @ 5500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1970 Buick Riviera should accelerate faster than 1973 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Buick Riviera weights approximately 946 kg more than 1973 Ford Cortina. 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, 1970 Buick Riviera (522 Nm @ 2800 RPM) has 431 more torque (in Nm) than 1973 Ford Cortina. (91 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1970 Buick Riviera will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1973 Ford Cortina. 1970 Buick Riviera has automatic transmission and 1973 Ford Cortina has manual transmission. 1973 Ford Cortina will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1970 Buick Riviera will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1970 Buick Riviera | 1973 Ford Cortina | |
| Make | Buick | Ford |
| Model | Riviera | Cortina |
| Year Released | 1970 | 1973 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 7468 cc | 1296 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 265 HP | 56 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4600 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 522 Nm | 91 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2800 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1986 kg | 1040 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5480 mm | 4280 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2020 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3030 mm | 2590 mm |
