1971 Toyota Century vs. 1997 Volkswagen W12
To start off, 1997 Volkswagen W12 is newer by 26 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Toyota Century. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Toyota Century would be higher. At 5,584 cc (12 cylinders), 1997 Volkswagen W12 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1997 Volkswagen W12 (420 HP @ 5800 RPM) has 292 more horse power than 1971 Toyota Century. (128 HP @ 5200 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1997 Volkswagen W12 should accelerate faster than 1971 Toyota Century. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Toyota Century weights approximately 548 kg more than 1997 Volkswagen W12.
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, 1997 Volkswagen W12 (530 Nm @ 3000 RPM) has 294 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Toyota Century. (236 Nm @ 3600 RPM). This means 1997 Volkswagen W12 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Toyota Century.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Toyota Century | 1997 Volkswagen W12 | |
| Make | Toyota | Volkswagen |
| Model | Century | W12 |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1997 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Middle |
| Engine Size | 2981 cc | 5584 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 12 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | W |
| Horse Power | 128 HP | 420 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5200 RPM | 5800 RPM |
| Torque | 236 Nm | 530 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3600 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1700 kg | 1152 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4990 mm | 4410 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1900 mm | 1930 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1470 mm | 1010 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2870 mm | 2540 mm |
