1971 Buick Riviera vs. 1971 Ford Cortina
To start off, both 1971 Buick Riviera and 1971 Ford Cortina were released in the same year (1971). Therefore the support and the availability on parts for both vehicles should be relatively similar. At 7,468 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Buick Riviera is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Buick Riviera (311 HP @ 4200 RPM) has 255 more horse power than 1971 Ford Cortina. (56 HP @ 5500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1971 Buick Riviera should accelerate faster than 1971 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Buick Riviera weights approximately 1095 kg more than 1971 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, 1971 Buick Riviera (617 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 526 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Ford Cortina. (91 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1971 Buick Riviera will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Ford Cortina. 1971 Buick Riviera has automatic transmission and 1971 Ford Cortina has manual transmission. 1971 Ford Cortina will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1971 Buick Riviera will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Buick Riviera | 1971 Ford Cortina | |
| Make | Buick | Ford |
| Model | Riviera | Cortina |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1971 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 7468 cc | 1298 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 311 HP | 56 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4200 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 617 Nm | 91 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.3:1 | 9.0:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 2040 kg | 945 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5560 mm | 4270 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2040 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1380 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3110 mm | 2570 mm |
