1988 BMW 520 vs. 1981 Nissan Laurel
To start off, 1988 BMW 520 is newer by 7 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Nissan Laurel. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Nissan Laurel would be higher. At 2,792 cc (6 cylinders), 1981 Nissan Laurel is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1988 BMW 520 (129 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 44 more horse power than 1981 Nissan Laurel. (85 HP @ 4600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1988 BMW 520 should accelerate faster than 1981 Nissan Laurel. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1988 BMW 520 weights approximately 360 kg more than 1981 Nissan Laurel. 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, 1988 BMW 520 (174 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 7 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Nissan Laurel. (167 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1988 BMW 520 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Nissan Laurel.
Compare all specifications:
| 1988 BMW 520 | 1981 Nissan Laurel | |
| Make | BMW | Nissan |
| Model | 520 | Laurel |
| Year Released | 1988 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1989 cc | 2792 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 129 HP | 85 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 4600 RPM |
| Torque | 174 Nm | 167 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1570 kg | 1210 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4780 mm | 4060 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 1630 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1440 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2770 mm | 2410 mm |
