1978 Ford Capri vs. 1981 Pontiac Firebird
To start off, 1981 Pontiac Firebird is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Ford Capri. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Ford Capri would be higher. At 5,012 cc (8 cylinders), 1981 Pontiac Firebird is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Ford Capri (175 HP @ 5000 RPM) has 30 more horse power than 1981 Pontiac Firebird. (145 HP @ 3800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1978 Ford Capri should accelerate faster than 1981 Pontiac Firebird. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Pontiac Firebird weights approximately 372 kg more than 1978 Ford Capri.
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 Pontiac Firebird (324 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 61 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Ford Capri. (263 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1981 Pontiac Firebird will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Ford Capri.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Ford Capri | 1981 Pontiac Firebird | |
| Make | Ford | Pontiac |
| Model | Capri | Firebird |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2994 cc | 5012 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 175 HP | 145 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5000 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 263 Nm | 324 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.1:1 | 8.6:1 |
| Top Speed | 204 km/hour | 160 km/hour |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1170 kg | 1542 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4400 mm | 5040 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1860 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1310 mm | 1260 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2570 mm | 2750 mm |
