1981 Alfa Romeo Spider vs. 1995 Caterham Super 7
To start off, 1995 Caterham Super 7 is newer by 14 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Alfa Romeo Spider. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Alfa Romeo Spider would be higher. At 1,588 cc (4 cylinders), 1995 Caterham Super 7 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1995 Caterham Super 7 (138 HP @ 7000 RPM) has 35 more horse power than 1981 Alfa Romeo Spider. (103 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1995 Caterham Super 7 should accelerate faster than 1981 Alfa Romeo Spider. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Alfa Romeo Spider weights approximately 446 kg more than 1995 Caterham Super 7.
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, 1995 Caterham Super 7 (156 Nm @ 5000 RPM) has 11 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Alfa Romeo Spider. (145 Nm @ 4500 RPM). This means 1995 Caterham Super 7 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Alfa Romeo Spider.
Compare all specifications:
| 1981 Alfa Romeo Spider | 1995 Caterham Super 7 | |
| Make | Alfa Romeo | Caterham |
| Model | Spider | Super 7 |
| Year Released | 1981 | 1995 |
| Body Type | Roadster | Roadster |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1570 cc | 1588 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 103 HP | 138 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 7000 RPM |
| Torque | 145 Nm | 156 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 78 mm | 80 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 82 mm | 79 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.0:1 | 10.5:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1000 kg | 554 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4130 mm | 3390 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1640 mm | 1590 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1300 mm | 1100 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2260 mm | 2260 mm |
