1974 BMW 3 vs. 1974 Ford Cortina
To start off, both 1974 BMW 3 and 1974 Ford Cortina were released in the same year (1974). Therefore the support and the availability on parts for both vehicles should be relatively similar. At 2,986 cc (6 cylinders), 1974 BMW 3 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1974 BMW 3 (200 HP @ 5500 RPM) has 144 more horse power than 1974 Ford Cortina. (56 HP @ 5500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1974 BMW 3 should accelerate faster than 1974 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1974 BMW 3 weights approximately 488 kg more than 1974 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, 1974 BMW 3 (270 Nm @ 4300 RPM) has 179 more torque (in Nm) than 1974 Ford Cortina. (91 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1974 BMW 3 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1974 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1974 BMW 3 | 1974 Ford Cortina | |
| Make | BMW | Ford |
| Model | 3 | Cortina |
| Year Released | 1974 | 1974 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2986 cc | 1298 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 200 HP | 56 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 270 Nm | 91 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4300 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 89 mm | 81 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 80 mm | 63 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.5:1 | 9.0:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1433 kg | 945 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4720 mm | 4270 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1760 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1460 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2700 mm | 2590 mm |
