1970 Fiat 124 vs. 1971 Fiat 500
To start off, 1971 Fiat 500 is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Fiat 124. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Fiat 124 would be higher. At 1,592 cc (4 cylinders), 1970 Fiat 124 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1970 Fiat 124 (95 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 77 more horse power than 1971 Fiat 500. (18 HP @ 4600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1970 Fiat 124 should accelerate faster than 1971 Fiat 500. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Fiat 124 weights approximately 450 kg more than 1971 Fiat 500. 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 Fiat 124 (126 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 99 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Fiat 500. (27 Nm @ 3200 RPM). This means 1970 Fiat 124 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Fiat 500.
Compare all specifications:
| 1970 Fiat 124 | 1971 Fiat 500 | |
| Make | Fiat | Fiat |
| Model | 124 | 500 |
| Year Released | 1970 | 1971 |
| Engine Position | Front | Rear |
| Engine Size | 1592 cc | 497 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 2 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 95 HP | 18 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 4600 RPM |
| Torque | 126 Nm | 27 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 960 kg | 510 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4070 mm | 2980 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1620 mm | 1330 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1430 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2430 mm | 1850 mm |
