1951 Austin A 40 vs. 1985 Lotus Excel
To start off, 1985 Lotus Excel is newer by 34 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1951 Austin A 40. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1951 Austin A 40 would be higher. At 2,174 cc (4 cylinders), 1985 Lotus Excel is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1985 Lotus Excel (181 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 143 more horse power than 1951 Austin A 40. (38 HP @ 4300 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1985 Lotus Excel should accelerate faster than 1951 Austin A 40. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1985 Lotus Excel weights approximately 201 kg more than 1951 Austin A 40. 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, 1985 Lotus Excel (232 Nm @ 5000 RPM) has 152 more torque (in Nm) than 1951 Austin A 40. (80 Nm @ 2300 RPM). This means 1985 Lotus Excel will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1951 Austin A 40.
Compare all specifications:
| 1951 Austin A 40 | 1985 Lotus Excel | |
| Make | Austin | Lotus |
| Model | A 40 | Excel |
| Year Released | 1951 | 1985 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1200 cc | 2174 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 38 HP | 181 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4300 RPM | 6500 RPM |
| Torque | 80 Nm | 232 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2300 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 970 kg | 1171 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3890 mm | 4380 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1560 mm | 1820 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1620 mm | 1020 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2360 mm | 2490 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 48 L | 66 L |
