1971 Buick Riviera vs. 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood
To start off, 1971 Buick Riviera is newer by 12 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood would be higher. At 7,468 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Buick Riviera is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood (325 HP @ 4800 RPM) has 14 more horse power than 1971 Buick Riviera. (311 HP @ 4200 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood should accelerate faster than 1971 Buick Riviera. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood weights approximately 532 kg more than 1971 Buick Riviera. 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, 1971 Buick Riviera (617 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 34 more torque (in Nm) than 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood. (583 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1971 Buick Riviera will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Buick Riviera | 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood | |
| Make | Buick | Cadillac |
| Model | Riviera | Fleetwood |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1959 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 7468 cc | 6382 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Horse Power | 311 HP | 325 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4200 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Torque | 617 Nm | 583 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.3:1 | 10.5:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Automatic |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 2040 kg | 2572 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5560 mm | 6160 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2040 mm | 2060 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1380 mm | 1510 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3110 mm | 3810 mm |
