1978 Austin Marina vs. 1977 BMW 520
To start off, 1978 Austin Marina is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1977 BMW 520. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1977 BMW 520 would be higher. At 1,951 cc (4 cylinders), 1977 BMW 520 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1977 BMW 520 (134 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 75 more horse power than 1978 Austin Marina. (59 HP @ 5250 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1977 BMW 520 should accelerate faster than 1978 Austin Marina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1977 BMW 520 weights approximately 683 kg more than 1978 Austin Marina. 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, 1977 BMW 520 (280 Nm @ 1750 RPM) has 178 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Austin Marina. (102 Nm @ 2500 RPM). This means 1977 BMW 520 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Austin Marina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Austin Marina | 1977 BMW 520 | |
| Make | Austin | BMW |
| Model | Marina | 520 |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1977 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1275 cc | 1951 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 59 HP | 134 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5250 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 102 Nm | 280 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2500 RPM | 1750 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 70.6 mm | 84 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 81.3 mm | 88 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 882 kg | 1565 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4230 mm | 4780 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1660 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1430 mm | 1440 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2840 mm |
