1971 BMW 3 vs. 1972 Toyota Century
To start off, 1972 Toyota Century is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 BMW 3. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 BMW 3 would be higher. At 2,986 cc (6 cylinders), 1971 BMW 3 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 BMW 3 (180 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 53 more horse power than 1972 Toyota Century. (127 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1971 BMW 3 should accelerate faster than 1972 Toyota Century. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1972 Toyota Century weights approximately 426 kg more than 1971 BMW 3.
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 BMW 3 (255 Nm @ 3700 RPM) has 5 more torque (in Nm) than 1972 Toyota Century. (250 Nm @ 3600 RPM). This means 1971 BMW 3 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1972 Toyota Century.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 BMW 3 | 1972 Toyota Century | |
| Make | BMW | Toyota |
| Model | 3 | Century |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1972 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2986 cc | 2981 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 180 HP | 127 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 255 Nm | 250 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3700 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1380 kg | 1806 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4740 mm | 4990 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1700 mm | 1900 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1460 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2670 mm | 2870 mm |
