2012 BMW 520 vs. 1971 Toyota Century
To start off, 2012 BMW 520 is newer by 41 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Toyota Century. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Toyota Century would be higher. At 2,981 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Toyota Century is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2012 BMW 520 (182 HP @ 5000 RPM) has 54 more horse power than 1971 Toyota Century. (128 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2012 BMW 520 should accelerate faster than 1971 Toyota Century. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2012 BMW 520 weights approximately 90 kg more than 1971 Toyota Century. 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, 2012 BMW 520 (270 Nm @ 4500 RPM) has 34 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Toyota Century. (236 Nm @ 3600 RPM). This means 2012 BMW 520 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Toyota Century.
Compare all specifications:
| 2012 BMW 520 | 1971 Toyota Century | |
| Make | BMW | Toyota |
| Model | 520 | Century |
| Year Released | 2012 | 1971 |
| Body Type | Station Wagon | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1997 cc | 2981 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 182 HP | 128 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5000 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 270 Nm | 236 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | 8-speed shiftable automatic | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 5 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1790 kg | 1700 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4907 mm | 4990 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1900 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1462 mm | 1470 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2968 mm | 2870 mm |
