1948 Ford Prefect vs. 1963 Lotus Elan
To start off, 1963 Lotus Elan is newer by 15 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1948 Ford Prefect. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1948 Ford Prefect would be higher. At 1,498 cc (4 cylinders), 1963 Lotus Elan is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1963 Lotus Elan (100 HP @ 5700 RPM) has 69 more horse power than 1948 Ford Prefect. (31 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1963 Lotus Elan should accelerate faster than 1948 Ford Prefect. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1948 Ford Prefect weights approximately 243 kg more than 1963 Lotus Elan.
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, 1963 Lotus Elan (138 Nm @ 3750 RPM) has 75 more torque (in Nm) than 1948 Ford Prefect. (63 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1963 Lotus Elan will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1948 Ford Prefect.
Compare all specifications:
| 1948 Ford Prefect | 1963 Lotus Elan | |
| Make | Ford | Lotus |
| Model | Prefect | Elan |
| Year Released | 1948 | 1963 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1172 cc | 1498 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 31 HP | 100 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5700 RPM |
| Torque | 63 Nm | 138 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 3750 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 63.5 mm | 81 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 92.5 mm | 72.7 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 6.2:1 | 9.5:1 |
| Top Speed | 105 km/hour | 185 km/hour |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 837 kg | 594 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3980 mm | 3700 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1450 mm | 1430 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2390 mm | 2140 mm |
