1972 Ford Cortina vs. 1958 Riley 4
To start off, 1972 Ford Cortina is newer by 14 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1958 Riley 4. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1958 Riley 4 would be higher. At 1,489 cc (4 cylinders), 1958 Riley 4 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1958 Riley 4 (63 HP @ 4800 RPM) has 7 more horse power than 1972 Ford Cortina. (56 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1958 Riley 4 should accelerate faster than 1972 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1958 Riley 4 weights approximately 96 kg more than 1972 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, 1958 Riley 4 (115 Nm @ 3300 RPM) has 24 more torque (in Nm) than 1972 Ford Cortina. (91 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1958 Riley 4 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1972 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1972 Ford Cortina | 1958 Riley 4 | |
| Make | Ford | Riley |
| Model | Cortina | 4 |
| Year Released | 1972 | 1958 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1298 cc | 1489 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 56 HP | 63 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Torque | 91 Nm | 115 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 3300 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1044 kg | 1140 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4280 mm | 4530 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1620 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1330 mm | 1530 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2590 mm | 2530 mm |
