1978 Opel Senator vs. 1974 Toyota Carina
To start off, 1978 Opel Senator is newer by 4 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1974 Toyota Carina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1974 Toyota Carina would be higher. At 1,979 cc (4 cylinders), 1978 Opel Senator is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Opel Senator (115 HP @ 5600 RPM) has 16 more horse power than 1974 Toyota Carina. (99 HP @ 6000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1978 Opel Senator should accelerate faster than 1974 Toyota Carina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Opel Senator weights approximately 385 kg more than 1974 Toyota Carina. 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 Opel Senator (160 Nm @ 4200 RPM) has 25 more torque (in Nm) than 1974 Toyota Carina. (135 Nm @ 3800 RPM). This means 1978 Opel Senator will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1974 Toyota Carina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Opel Senator | 1974 Toyota Carina | |
| Make | Opel | Toyota |
| Model | Senator | Carina |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1974 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1979 cc | 1589 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 115 HP | 99 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5600 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 160 Nm | 135 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4200 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 95 mm | 85 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 69.8 mm | 70 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.4:1 | 8.5:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1335 kg | 950 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4850 mm | 4140 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1730 mm | 1580 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2690 mm | 2430 mm |
