1981 Pontiac Firebird vs. 1989 Porsche 911
To start off, 1989 Porsche 911 is newer by 8 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Pontiac Firebird. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Pontiac Firebird would be higher. At 5,012 cc (8 cylinders), 1981 Pontiac Firebird is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1989 Porsche 911 (228 HP @ 5900 RPM) has 83 more horse power than 1981 Pontiac Firebird. (145 HP @ 3800 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1989 Porsche 911 should accelerate faster than 1981 Pontiac Firebird. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Pontiac Firebird weights approximately 312 kg more than 1989 Porsche 911.
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 Pontiac Firebird (324 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 38 more torque (in Nm) than 1989 Porsche 911. (286 Nm @ 4800 RPM). This means 1981 Pontiac Firebird will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1989 Porsche 911.
Compare all specifications:
| 1981 Pontiac Firebird | 1989 Porsche 911 | |
| Make | Pontiac | Porsche |
| Model | Firebird | 911 |
| Year Released | 1981 | 1989 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Convertible |
| Engine Position | Front | Rear |
| Engine Size | 5012 cc | 3164 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | boxer |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 145 HP | 228 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3800 RPM | 5900 RPM |
| Torque | 324 Nm | 286 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 95 mm | 95 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 88.4 mm | 74.4 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1542 kg | 1230 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5040 mm | 4300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1660 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1260 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2750 mm | 2270 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 79 L | 80 L |
