1973 Fiat 500 vs. 1976 Ford Cortina
To start off, 1976 Ford Cortina is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Fiat 500. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Fiat 500 would be higher. At 1,593 cc (4 cylinders), 1976 Ford Cortina is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1976 Ford Cortina (73 HP @ 5500 RPM) has 55 more horse power than 1973 Fiat 500. (18 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1976 Ford Cortina should accelerate faster than 1973 Fiat 500. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1976 Ford Cortina weights approximately 589 kg more than 1973 Fiat 500. 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, 1976 Ford Cortina (117 Nm @ 2700 RPM) has 80 more torque (in Nm) than 1973 Fiat 500. (37 Nm @ 2500 RPM). This means 1976 Ford Cortina will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1973 Fiat 500.
Compare all specifications:
| 1973 Fiat 500 | 1976 Ford Cortina | |
| Make | Fiat | Ford |
| Model | 500 | Cortina |
| Year Released | 1973 | 1976 |
| Engine Position | Rear | Front |
| Engine Size | 594 cc | 1593 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 2 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 18 HP | 73 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 37 Nm | 117 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2500 RPM | 2700 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 3 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 525 kg | 1114 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 2980 mm | 4490 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1330 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1330 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 1850 mm | 2590 mm |
