1971 Buick Riviera vs. 1971 Pontiac Bonneville
To start off, both 1971 Buick Riviera and 1971 Pontiac Bonneville 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 126 more horse power than 1971 Pontiac Bonneville. (185 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1971 Buick Riviera should accelerate faster than 1971 Pontiac Bonneville. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Buick Riviera weights approximately 50 kg more than 1971 Pontiac Bonneville. 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 132 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Pontiac Bonneville. (485 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1971 Buick Riviera will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Pontiac Bonneville.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Buick Riviera | 1971 Pontiac Bonneville | |
| Make | Buick | Pontiac |
| Model | Riviera | Bonneville |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1971 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 7468 cc | 7462 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 311 HP | 185 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4200 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 617 Nm | 485 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Automatic |
| Vehicle Weight | 2040 kg | 1990 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5560 mm | 5740 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2040 mm | 2030 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1380 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3110 mm | 3210 mm |
