1981 Buick Electra vs. 1978 Ford Cortina
To start off, 1981 Buick Electra is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Ford Cortina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Ford Cortina would be higher. At 4,129 cc (6 cylinders), 1981 Buick Electra is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Buick Electra (123 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 37 more horse power than 1978 Ford Cortina. (86 HP @ 5300 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1981 Buick Electra should accelerate faster than 1978 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Buick Electra weights approximately 582 kg more than 1978 Ford Cortina. 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, 1981 Buick Electra (278 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 137 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Ford Cortina. (141 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1981 Buick Electra will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1981 Buick Electra | 1978 Ford Cortina | |
| Make | Buick | Ford |
| Model | Electra | Cortina |
| Year Released | 1981 | 1978 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4129 cc | 1998 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 123 HP | 86 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5300 RPM |
| Torque | 278 Nm | 141 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 3500 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1692 kg | 1110 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5650 mm | 4380 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1990 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1400 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3030 mm | 2580 mm |
