1971 Rover 3.5 Litre vs. 1981 Volvo 260
To start off, 1981 Volvo 260 is newer by 10 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre would be higher. At 3,532 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Volvo 260 (153 HP @ 5500 RPM) has 5 more horse power than 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre. (148 HP @ 5000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1981 Volvo 260 should accelerate faster than 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre weights approximately 268 kg more than 1981 Volvo 260.
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 Rover 3.5 Litre (276 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 45 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Volvo 260. (231 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Volvo 260.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre | 1981 Volvo 260 | |
| Make | Rover | Volvo |
| Model | 3.5 Litre | 260 |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3532 cc | 2849 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 148 HP | 153 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5000 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 276 Nm | 231 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 88.9 mm | 91 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 71.1 mm | 73 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1638 kg | 1370 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4750 mm | 4890 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1790 mm | 1720 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1550 mm | 1440 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2820 mm | 2660 mm |
