1978 Buick Electra vs. 1981 Porsche 911
To start off, 1981 Porsche 911 is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Buick Electra. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Buick Electra would be higher. At 5,730 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Buick Electra is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Porsche 911 (232 HP @ 5900 RPM) has 79 more horse power than 1978 Buick Electra. (153 HP @ 3400 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1981 Porsche 911 should accelerate faster than 1978 Buick Electra. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Buick Electra weights approximately 525 kg more than 1981 Porsche 911.
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 Buick Electra (381 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 97 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Porsche 911. (284 Nm @ 4800 RPM). This means 1978 Buick Electra will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Porsche 911. 1978 Buick Electra has automatic transmission and 1981 Porsche 911 has manual transmission. 1981 Porsche 911 will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1978 Buick Electra will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Buick Electra | 1981 Porsche 911 | |
| Make | Buick | Porsche |
| Model | Electra | 911 |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Rear |
| Engine Size | 5730 cc | 3164 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | boxer |
| Horse Power | 153 HP | 232 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3400 RPM | 5900 RPM |
| Torque | 381 Nm | 284 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1800 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 96.5 mm | 95 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 97.8 mm | 74.4 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1785 kg | 1260 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5650 mm | 4300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1970 mm | 1660 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1400 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3030 mm | 2270 mm |
