2004 BMW 316 vs. 2004 Caterham 7
To start off, both 2004 BMW 316 and 2004 Caterham 7 were released in the same year (2004). Therefore the support and the availability on parts for both vehicles should be relatively similar. At 2,261 cc (4 cylinders), 2004 Caterham 7 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2004 Caterham 7 (200 HP @ 7000 RPM) has 87 more horse power than 2004 BMW 316. (113 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2004 Caterham 7 should accelerate faster than 2004 BMW 316. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2004 BMW 316 weights approximately 795 kg more than 2004 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, 2004 Caterham 7 (224 Nm @ 5750 RPM) has 49 more torque (in Nm) than 2004 BMW 316. (175 Nm @ 3750 RPM). This means 2004 Caterham 7 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2004 BMW 316.
Compare all specifications:
| 2004 BMW 316 | 2004 Caterham 7 | |
| Make | BMW | Caterham |
| Model | 316 | 7 |
| Year Released | 2004 | 2004 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1796 cc | 2261 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 113 HP | 200 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 7000 RPM |
| Torque | 175 Nm | 224 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3750 RPM | 5750 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 84 mm | 87.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 81 mm | 94 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1335 kg | 540 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4480 mm | 3310 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1750 mm | 1690 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1420 mm | 1150 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2730 mm | 2230 mm |
