1972 Buick Riviera vs. 1988 Honda NSX
To start off, 1988 Honda NSX is newer by 16 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1972 Buick Riviera. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1972 Buick Riviera would be higher. At 7,468 cc (6 cylinders), 1972 Buick Riviera is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1988 Honda NSX (251 HP @ 6800 RPM) has 1 more horse power than 1972 Buick Riviera. (250 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1988 Honda NSX should accelerate faster than 1972 Buick Riviera. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1972 Buick Riviera weights approximately 824 kg more than 1988 Honda NSX.
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 Buick Riviera (518 Nm @ 2800 RPM) has 230 more torque (in Nm) than 1988 Honda NSX. (288 Nm @ 5300 RPM). This means 1972 Buick Riviera will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1988 Honda NSX. 1972 Buick Riviera has automatic transmission and 1988 Honda NSX has manual transmission. 1988 Honda NSX will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1972 Buick Riviera will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1972 Buick Riviera | 1988 Honda NSX | |
| Make | Buick | Honda |
| Model | Riviera | NSX |
| Year Released | 1972 | 1988 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Middle |
| Engine Size | 7468 cc | 2977 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Horse Power | 250 HP | 251 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 6800 RPM |
| Torque | 518 Nm | 288 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2800 RPM | 5300 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 2040 kg | 1216 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5550 mm | 4320 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2040 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1380 mm | 1180 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3110 mm | 2510 mm |
