1997 GMC Safari vs. 1981 Lincoln Town Car
To start off, 1997 GMC Safari is newer by 16 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Lincoln Town Car. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Lincoln Town Car would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1981 Lincoln Town Car is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1997 GMC Safari (187 HP @ 4400 RPM) has 58 more horse power than 1981 Lincoln Town Car. (129 HP @ 3400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1997 GMC Safari should accelerate faster than 1981 Lincoln Town Car. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1997 GMC Safari weights approximately 135 kg more than 1981 Lincoln Town Car. 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, 1997 GMC Safari (338 Nm @ 2800 RPM) has 28 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Lincoln Town Car. (310 Nm @ 1800 RPM). This means 1997 GMC Safari will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Lincoln Town Car.
Compare all specifications:
| 1997 GMC Safari | 1981 Lincoln Town Car | |
| Make | GMC | Lincoln |
| Model | Safari | Town Car |
| Year Released | 1997 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Van | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4293 cc | 4942 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 187 HP | 129 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4400 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Torque | 338 Nm | 310 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2800 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 102 mm | 101.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 88 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 8 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 3 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1955 kg | 1820 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4830 mm | 5570 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1980 mm | 1990 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1910 mm | 1440 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2830 mm | 2990 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 98 L | 68 L |
