1978 Alpine A 310 vs. 1952 Austin A 40
To start off, 1978 Alpine A 310 is newer by 26 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1952 Austin A 40. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1952 Austin A 40 would be higher. At 2,664 cc (6 cylinders), 1978 Alpine A 310 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Alpine A 310 (148 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 107 more horse power than 1952 Austin A 40. (41 HP @ 4500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1978 Alpine A 310 should accelerate faster than 1952 Austin A 40. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1952 Austin A 40 weights approximately 16 kg more than 1978 Alpine A 310.
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, 1978 Alpine A 310 (208 Nm @ 3500 RPM) has 129 more torque (in Nm) than 1952 Austin A 40. (79 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1978 Alpine A 310 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1952 Austin A 40.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Alpine A 310 | 1952 Austin A 40 | |
| Make | Alpine | Austin |
| Model | A 310 | A 40 |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1952 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Rear | Front |
| Engine Size | 2664 cc | 1199 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 148 HP | 41 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 4500 RPM |
| Torque | 208 Nm | 79 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 88 mm | 65.5 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 73 mm | 89 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 10.1:1 | 7.2:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 984 kg | 1000 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4190 mm | 4060 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1650 mm | 1610 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1160 mm | 1590 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2280 mm | 2360 mm |
