1990 BMW 316 vs. 1981 Nissan Silvia
To start off, 1990 BMW 316 is newer by 9 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Nissan Silvia. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Nissan Silvia would be higher. At 1,769 cc (4 cylinders), 1981 Nissan Silvia is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1990 BMW 316 (100 HP @ 5500 RPM) has 3 more horse power than 1981 Nissan Silvia. (97 HP @ 6000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1990 BMW 316 should accelerate faster than 1981 Nissan Silvia. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1990 BMW 316 weights approximately 70 kg more than 1981 Nissan Silvia. 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 Nissan Silvia (147 Nm @ 3600 RPM) has 6 more torque (in Nm) than 1990 BMW 316. (141 Nm @ 4250 RPM). This means 1981 Nissan Silvia will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1990 BMW 316.
Compare all specifications:
| 1990 BMW 316 | 1981 Nissan Silvia | |
| Make | BMW | Nissan |
| Model | 316 | Silvia |
| Year Released | 1990 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1596 cc | 1769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 100 HP | 97 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 141 Nm | 147 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4250 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1080 kg | 1010 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4330 mm | 4480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1650 mm | 1690 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1320 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2580 mm | 2410 mm |
