1976 Ford Cortina vs. 1981 Ford Fairlane

To start off, 1981 Ford Fairlane is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1976 Ford Cortina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1976 Ford Cortina would be higher. At 4,092 cc (6 cylinders), 1981 Ford Fairlane is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Ford Fairlane (124 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 51 more horse power than 1976 Ford Cortina. (73 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1981 Ford Fairlane should accelerate faster than 1976 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Ford Fairlane weights approximately 286 kg more than 1976 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, 1981 Ford Fairlane (296 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 179 more torque (in Nm) than 1976 Ford Cortina. (117 Nm @ 2700 RPM). This means 1981 Ford Fairlane will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1976 Ford Cortina. 1981 Ford Fairlane has automatic transmission and 1976 Ford Cortina has manual transmission. 1976 Ford Cortina will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1981 Ford Fairlane will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.

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