1996 Caterham 7 vs. 1976 Ford Cortina
To start off, 1996 Caterham 7 is newer by 20 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1976 Ford Cortina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1976 Ford Cortina would be higher. At 1,588 cc (4 cylinders), 1996 Caterham 7 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1996 Caterham 7 (138 HP @ 7000 RPM) has 82 more horse power than 1976 Ford Cortina. (56 HP @ 5500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1996 Caterham 7 should accelerate faster than 1976 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1976 Ford Cortina weights approximately 572 kg more than 1996 Caterham 7.
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 Caterham 7 (156 Nm @ 5000 RPM) has 65 more torque (in Nm) than 1976 Ford Cortina. (91 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1996 Caterham 7 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1976 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1996 Caterham 7 | 1976 Ford Cortina | |
| Make | Caterham | Ford |
| Model | 7 | Cortina |
| Year Released | 1996 | 1976 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1588 cc | 1294 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 138 HP | 56 HP |
| Engine RPM | 7000 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 156 Nm | 91 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 10.5:1 | 8.0:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Vehicle Weight | 478 kg | 1050 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3110 mm | 4280 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1580 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 810 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2240 mm | 2590 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 36 L | 87 L |
