1978 Ford Crown Victoria vs. 1979 Pontiac Firebird
To start off, 1979 Pontiac Firebird is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Ford Crown Victoria. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Ford Crown Victoria would be higher. At 5,766 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Ford Crown Victoria is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Ford Crown Victoria (138 HP @ 3200 RPM) has 13 more horse power than 1979 Pontiac Firebird. (125 HP @ 3200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1978 Ford Crown Victoria should accelerate faster than 1979 Pontiac Firebird. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Ford Crown Victoria weights approximately 55 kg more than 1979 Pontiac Firebird. 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 Ford Crown Victoria (353 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 21 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Pontiac Firebird. (332 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1978 Ford Crown Victoria will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Pontiac Firebird.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Ford Crown Victoria | 1979 Pontiac Firebird | |
| Make | Ford | Pontiac |
| Model | Crown Victoria | Firebird |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1979 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5766 cc | 3790 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 138 HP | 125 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3200 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Torque | 353 Nm | 332 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2200 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1660 kg | 1605 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5320 mm | 5040 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1980 mm | 1860 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1260 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2750 mm |
