1978 Bristol 412 vs. 1981 Ford Taunus
To start off, 1981 Ford Taunus is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Bristol 412. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Bristol 412 would be higher. At 5,898 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Bristol 412 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Bristol 412 (171 HP) has 114 more horse power than 1981 Ford Taunus. (57 HP). In normal driving conditions, 1978 Bristol 412 should accelerate faster than 1981 Ford Taunus. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Bristol 412 weights approximately 670 kg more than 1981 Ford Taunus. 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, 1978 Bristol 412 (366 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 274 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Ford Taunus. (92 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1978 Bristol 412 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Ford Taunus. 1978 Bristol 412 has automatic transmission and 1981 Ford Taunus has manual transmission. 1981 Ford Taunus will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1978 Bristol 412 will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Bristol 412 | 1981 Ford Taunus | |
| Make | Bristol | Ford |
| Model | 412 | Taunus |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5898 cc | 1294 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 171 HP | 57 HP |
| Torque | 366 Nm | 92 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 3500 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 101.6 mm | 79 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 90.9 mm | 66 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1690 kg | 1020 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4950 mm | 4350 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1780 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1450 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2580 mm |
