1971 Ford Mustang vs. 1978 Pontiac Firebird
To start off, 1978 Pontiac Firebird is newer by 7 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Ford Mustang. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Ford Mustang would be higher. At 5,752 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Ford Mustang is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Ford Mustang (330 HP @ 5400 RPM) has 205 more horse power than 1978 Pontiac Firebird. (125 HP @ 3200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1971 Ford Mustang should accelerate faster than 1978 Pontiac Firebird. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Ford Mustang weights approximately 145 kg more than 1978 Pontiac Firebird. 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 Ford Mustang (503 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 171 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Pontiac Firebird. (332 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1971 Ford Mustang will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Pontiac Firebird.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Ford Mustang | 1978 Pontiac Firebird | |
| Make | Ford | Pontiac |
| Model | Mustang | Firebird |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1978 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5752 cc | 3790 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 330 HP | 125 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5400 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Torque | 503 Nm | 332 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1615 kg | 1470 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4820 mm | 4880 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1890 mm | 1870 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1280 mm | 1290 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2780 mm | 2750 mm |
