1996 BMW 540 vs. 1986 Lincoln Town Car
To start off, 1996 BMW 540 is newer by 10 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1986 Lincoln Town Car. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1986 Lincoln Town Car would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1986 Lincoln Town Car is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1996 BMW 540 (282 HP @ 5400 RPM) has 134 more horse power than 1986 Lincoln Town Car. (148 HP @ 3200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1996 BMW 540 should accelerate faster than 1986 Lincoln Town Car. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1986 Lincoln Town Car weights approximately 95 kg more than 1996 BMW 540.
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, 1996 BMW 540 (440 Nm @ 3600 RPM) has 74 more torque (in Nm) than 1986 Lincoln Town Car. (366 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1996 BMW 540 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1986 Lincoln Town Car.
Compare all specifications:
| 1996 BMW 540 | 1986 Lincoln Town Car | |
| Make | BMW | Lincoln |
| Model | 540 | Town Car |
| Year Released | 1996 | 1986 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4398 cc | 4942 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 282 HP | 148 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5400 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Torque | 440 Nm | 366 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3600 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 92 mm | 101.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 82.7 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1735 kg | 1830 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4780 mm | 5570 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 1990 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1440 mm | 1440 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2840 mm | 2990 mm |
