Peugeot 304

Which Peugeot 304 version to buy

There is one generation and one body: Cabrio, 1 generation, production from 1969-01-01 to 1980-12-31, ten versions. Every version is FWD and Manual with 4 gears. Boost is No on all ten. Weight, 0–100, top speed, fuel use, tank size, and wheel size are not measured on any version, so those cannot decide the purchase.

There is one generation and one body: Cabrio, 1 generation, production from 1969-01-01 to 1980-12-31, ten versions. Every version is FWD and Manual with 4 gears. Boost is No on all ten. Weight, 0–100, top speed, fuel use, tank size, and wheel size are not measured on any version, so those cannot decide the purchase. What can decide it is power, displacement, fuel type, specific output, ground clearance, and which chassis fields are actually filled in.

Power runs from 45 hp (33 kW) on both 1.4 MT diesel cars to 75 hp (55 kW) on three 1.3 MT gasoline cars. That is a 30 hp / 22 kW spread on the same Cabrio platform. The 75 hp 1.3 MT makes 1.67 times the power of the 45 hp 1.4 MT (75 ÷ 45). Against the 57 hp 1.1 MT it is 18 hp more (about 32% more). Against the 65 hp 1.3 MT it is 10 hp more (about 15% more). If the question is “which version to buy for the most power in this catalogue,” the answer is any of the three 1.3 MT cars rated 75 hp / 55 kW.

Generations: what one generation actually changes between versions

Only 1 generation exists, so there is no later generation that adds gears, drive types, or a different body. All differences sit inside that Cabrio run.

What does change between the ten versions:

• Engine displacement: 1100, 1300, or 1400.
• Fuel: Gasoline on eight versions, Diesel on two 1.4 MT cars.
• Power: 45, 57, 65, or 75 hp (33, 42, 48, or 55 kW).
• Ground clearance: 130 mm, 121 mm, or 120 mm.
• How complete the chassis record is: some versions list rear Independent, spring suspension and Drum rear brakes; others list those as not measured.

What does not change: Cabrio body, FWD, Manual, 4 gears, 4 Inline cylinders, boost No, years 1969–1980.

Buying a “later generation” is not an option here. Buying a higher-clearance or higher-power record of the same 1.3 MT name is.

Engines and specs: same names, different numbers

Version names must stay exactly as in the data. Several cars are all called 1.3 MT. Separate them by horsepower and by ground clearance.

Nm is not measured on every row. Front brakes, where listed, are Disc. Rear brakes, where listed, are Drum. Front suspension, where listed, is Independent, spring. Rear suspension, where listed, is Independent, spring.

The 1.1 MT is the only version with a listed fuel system: Carburetor. On the other nine versions the fuel system is not measured.

Specific output (hp per litre)

Displacement is given in cubic centimetres; litres = value ÷ 1000.

• 1.3 MT 75 hp: 75 ÷ 1.3 ≈ 57.7 hp/L. Highest specific output in the set.
• 1.1 MT 57 hp: 57 ÷ 1.1 ≈ 51.8 hp/L. Second.
• 1.3 MT 65 hp: 65 ÷ 1.3 = 50.0 hp/L. Third.
• 1.4 MT 45 hp Diesel: 45 ÷ 1.4 ≈ 32.1 hp/L. Lowest, about 56% of the 75 hp 1.3 MT figure (32.1 ÷ 57.7).

The 75 hp 1.3 MT therefore extracts about 7.7 hp more per litre than the 65 hp 1.3 MT from the same 1300 displacement (57.7 − 50.0). That 10 hp gap is not a larger engine; it is a stronger tune of the same 1300 Gasoline 4 Inline layout.

The 1.1 MT is smaller (1100 vs 1300, 200 cc less, about 15% less displacement) but almost matches the 65 hp 1.3 MT on specific output (51.8 vs 50.0 hp/L). Absolute power still favours every 65 hp 1.3 MT by 8 hp (65 − 57) and every 75 hp 1.3 MT by 18 hp (75 − 57).

The 1.4 MT diesel is the largest engine (1400) and the weakest (45 hp). Extra displacement here does not buy extra power; it buys Diesel fuel type at 30 hp less than the peak gasoline 1.3 MT.

Performance and economy

0–100 is not measured on all ten versions. Top speed is not measured on all ten versions. City, highway, and combined consumption are not measured on all ten versions. CO2 is not measured. Eco class is not measured.

You cannot rank these Cabrio versions by acceleration or mpg from this catalogue. A claim that the 75 hp 1.3 MT is “faster” or that the 1.4 MT Diesel “uses less fuel” would be a number that is not in the data. The only performance proxy that is measured is power (and kW). On that proxy the order is:

1. 1.3 MT 75 hp / 55 kW (three cars: 130 mm, 121 mm, 120 mm clearance) 2. 1.3 MT 65 hp / 48 kW (four cars: 130 mm, two at 121 mm, one at 120 mm) 3. 1.1 MT 57 hp / 42 kW (one car, 121 mm) 4. 1.4 MT 45 hp / 33 kW (two cars, both 121 mm)

kW gaps: 55 − 48 = 7 kW between the two 1.3 MT gasoline ratings; 48 − 42 = 6 kW between 65 hp 1.3 MT and 1.1 MT; 42 − 33 = 9 kW between 1.1 MT and 1.4 MT; 55 − 33 = 22 kW between the strongest and weakest.

Torque (Nm) is not measured, so there is no diesel-torque argument available from these figures.

Dimensions and weight

Kerb weight is not measured on all ten. Gross weight is not measured on all ten. Tank is not measured on all ten. Wheel sizes are not measured on all ten.

Weight per horsepower cannot be calculated. Ground clearance can.

Clearance values in the data: 130 mm, 121 mm, 120 mm.

• Highest: 130 mm, on one 1.3 MT 65 hp and one 1.3 MT 75 hp.
• Middle: 121 mm, on six versions: 1.3 MT 75 hp; 1.4 MT 45 hp (rear listed); 1.3 MT 65 hp (rear listed); 1.1 MT 57 hp; 1.3 MT 65 hp (rear not measured); 1.4 MT 45 hp (rear not measured).
• Lowest: 120 mm, on one 1.3 MT 65 hp and one 1.3 MT 75 hp.

130 − 120 = 10 mm between the tallest and lowest records. 130 − 121 = 9 mm. 121 − 120 = 1 mm.

If ride height is the buying filter, the two 130 mm 1.3 MT cars (65 hp and 75 hp) are the only ones at the top of that range. The two 120 mm 1.3 MT cars sit 10 mm lower. The 1 mm step from 121 to 120 is arithmetic on the data; it is the smallest clearance difference in the set.

Chassis completeness also differs:

• Rear Independent, spring and Drum rear brakes are listed on the 130 mm 1.3 MT 65 hp, the 130 mm 1.3 MT 75 hp, the 121 mm 1.3 MT 75 hp, the 121 mm 1.4 MT 45 hp (first diesel), and the 121 mm 1.3 MT 65 hp with rear listed.
• Rear suspension and rear brakes are not measured on 1.1 MT, on one 121 mm 1.3 MT 65 hp, on the second 1.4 MT 45 hp, on the 120 mm 1.3 MT 65 hp, and on the 120 mm 1.3 MT 75 hp.

Front Independent, spring and front Disc are listed on all ten.

Which version to choose

Prices are not in the data, so “extra money” here means extra power, extra displacement, or extra clearance — not a sticker.

If the goal is maximum measured power: buy a 1.3 MT rated 75 hp / 55 kW. There are three. They share 1300 Gasoline, 4 Inline, boost No, Manual 4, FWD. Choose among them by clearance: 130 mm if you want the highest listed ride height; 121 mm for the middle; 120 mm for the lowest. Power is identical on all three (75 hp). The 130 mm car also lists rear Independent, spring and Drum; the 120 mm car does not (those fields are not measured).

If the goal is the common gasoline 1300 without the 75 hp rating: buy a 1.3 MT rated 65 hp / 48 kW. There are four. Versus the 75 hp 1.3 MT you give up 10 hp and 7 kW and 7.7 hp/L of specific output. You keep the same 1300, Gasoline, 4 Inline, No boost, Manual 4, FWD. Clearance choices again: 130 mm, 121 mm (two records), or 120 mm. The 130 mm 65 hp 1.3 MT matches the 130 mm 75 hp 1.3 MT on height and on listed rear chassis; the only measured gap between those two is 10 hp.

If the goal is the smallest gasoline engine: the only choice is 1.1 MT 57 hp / 42 kW, 1100, Gasoline, 4 Inline, Carburetor, Manual 4, FWD, 121 mm. Versus 65 hp 1.3 MT: 8 hp less, 200 cc less, 6 kW less, but slightly higher specific output (51.8 vs 50.0 hp/L). Versus 75 hp 1.3 MT: 18 hp less. Rear suspension and rear brakes are not measured on this 1.1 MT. It is the unique 1100 in the table; there is no second 1.1 to compare.

If the goal is Diesel: both cars are 1.4 MT, 45 hp / 33 kW, 1400, Diesel, 4 Inline, No, Manual 4, FWD, 121 mm. They are the weakest versions by 30 hp versus the 75 hp 1.3 MT and by 12 hp versus the 1.1 MT (57 − 45). Specific output is the lowest at about 32.1 hp/L. One 1.4 MT lists rear Independent, spring and Drum; the other lists those as not measured. Power, displacement, fuel, gears, and drive are the same on both diesels. There is no higher-output diesel in this generation.

If the goal is highest ground clearance: only two cars sit at 130 mm — 1.3 MT 65 hp and 1.3 MT 75 hp. Pick 75 hp unless you are deliberately taking the 10 hp step down. No 1.1 MT or 1.4 MT reaches 130 mm.

If the goal is a fully filled rear-axle record: prefer the versions that list rear Independent, spring and Drum: the two 130 mm 1.3 MT cars, the 121 mm 1.3 MT 75 hp, the first 1.4 MT 45 hp, and the 121 mm 1.3 MT 65 hp with rear listed. The other five versions leave rear suspension and rear brakes not measured.

What “the extra” buys, in arithmetic only

• 75 hp 1.3 MT versus 65 hp 1.3 MT: +10 hp, +7 kW, same 1300, same Gasoline, same FWD Manual 4. No extra displacement.
• 65 hp 1.3 MT versus 1.1 MT: +8 hp, +6 kW, +200 cc, fuel system not measured versus Carburetor on the 1.1 MT.
• 75 hp 1.3 MT versus 1.1 MT: +18 hp, +13 kW, +200 cc.
• 75 hp 1.3 MT versus 1.4 MT Diesel: +30 hp, +22 kW, −100 cc, Gasoline instead of Diesel.
• 65 hp 1.3 MT versus 1.4 MT Diesel: +20 hp, +15 kW, −100 cc.
• 130 mm versus 120 mm 1.3 MT (same hp): +10 mm clearance, same power.
• 130 mm versus 121 mm: +9 mm.
• 121 mm versus 120 mm: +1 mm.

There is no second generation that changes body, gears, or drive. Reliability, common problems, and mpg are not measured in this dataset; they cannot be ranked. For a Cabrio Peugeot 304 from these ten rows, the version that concentrates the most of what is actually measured — peak power plus peak clearance plus a filled rear-axle spec — is the 1.3 MT at 75 hp / 55 kW with 130 mm ground clearance. The version that concentrates the least power is either 1.4 MT at 45 hp / 33 kW. Everything else is a step of 1–18 hp or 1–10 mm on the same FWD Manual Cabrio.