1972 BMW 3 vs. 1970 Ford Cortina
To start off, 1972 BMW 3 is newer by 2 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Ford Cortina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Ford Cortina would be higher. At 2,986 cc (6 cylinders), 1972 BMW 3 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1972 BMW 3 (201 HP @ 5800 RPM) has 133 more horse power than 1970 Ford Cortina. (68 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1972 BMW 3 should accelerate faster than 1970 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1972 BMW 3 weights approximately 414 kg more than 1970 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, 1972 BMW 3 (271 Nm @ 3700 RPM) has 156 more torque (in Nm) than 1970 Ford Cortina. (115 Nm @ 2600 RPM). This means 1972 BMW 3 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1970 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1972 BMW 3 | 1970 Ford Cortina | |
| Make | BMW | Ford |
| Model | 3 | Cortina |
| Year Released | 1972 | 1970 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2986 cc | 1599 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 201 HP | 68 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5800 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 271 Nm | 115 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3700 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 89 mm | 81 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 80 mm | 77.6 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.5:1 | 9.0:1 |
| Top Speed | 224 km/hour | 148 km/hour |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1374 kg | 960 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4660 mm | 4270 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1690 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2620 mm | 2570 mm |
