1971 Ford Cortina vs. 1979 Ford Fairlane
To start off, 1979 Ford Fairlane is newer by 8 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Ford Cortina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Ford Cortina would be higher. At 4,940 cc (8 cylinders), 1979 Ford Fairlane is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1979 Ford Fairlane (185 HP @ 4500 RPM) has 129 more horse power than 1971 Ford Cortina. (56 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1979 Ford Fairlane should accelerate faster than 1971 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Ford Fairlane weights approximately 485 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, 1979 Ford Fairlane (344 Nm @ 3200 RPM) has 253 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Ford Cortina. (91 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1979 Ford Fairlane will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Ford Cortina. 1979 Ford Fairlane 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. 1979 Ford Fairlane will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Ford Cortina | 1979 Ford Fairlane | |
| Make | Ford | Ford |
| Model | Cortina | Fairlane |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1979 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1298 cc | 4940 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 56 HP | 185 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 4500 RPM |
| Torque | 91 Nm | 344 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 945 kg | 1430 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4270 mm | 5020 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1870 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1330 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2570 mm | 2950 mm |
