1978 Opel Rekord vs. 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre
To start off, 1978 Opel Rekord is newer by 7 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre would be higher. At 3,532 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre (148 HP) has 48 more horse power than 1978 Opel Rekord. (100 HP) In normal driving conditions, 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre should accelerate faster than 1978 Opel Rekord. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre weights approximately 518 kg more than 1978 Opel Rekord. 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, 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre (276 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 128 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Opel Rekord. (148 Nm @ 3800 RPM). This means 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Opel Rekord. 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre has automatic transmission and 1978 Opel Rekord has manual transmission. 1978 Opel Rekord will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Opel Rekord | 1971 Rover 3.5 Litre | |
| Make | Opel | Rover |
| Model | Rekord | 3.5 Litre |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1971 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1978 cc | 3532 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 100 HP | 148 HP |
| Torque | 148 Nm | 276 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3800 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 95 mm | 88.9 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 69.8 mm | 71.1 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1120 kg | 1638 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4600 mm | 4750 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1730 mm | 1790 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1430 mm | 1550 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2670 mm | 2820 mm |
