1951 Buick 40 vs. 1980 Lotus Esprit
To start off, 1980 Lotus Esprit is newer by 29 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1951 Buick 40. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1951 Buick 40 would be higher. At 4,066 cc (8 cylinders), 1951 Buick 40 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1980 Lotus Esprit (208 HP @ 6250 RPM) has 89 more horse power than 1951 Buick 40. (119 HP @ 3600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1980 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1951 Buick 40. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1951 Buick 40 weights approximately 429 kg more than 1980 Lotus Esprit.
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, 1951 Buick 40 (292 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 15 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Lotus Esprit. (277 Nm @ 4500 RPM). This means 1951 Buick 40 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Lotus Esprit.
Compare all specifications:
| 1951 Buick 40 | 1980 Lotus Esprit | |
| Make | Buick | Lotus |
| Model | 40 | Esprit |
| Year Released | 1951 | 1980 |
| Engine Position | Front | Middle |
| Engine Size | 4066 cc | 2172 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 119 HP | 208 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3600 RPM | 6250 RPM |
| Torque | 292 Nm | 277 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 4500 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 78.5 mm | 95.3 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 104.8 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1635 kg | 1206 kg |
| Vehicle Width | 1950 mm | 1870 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3090 mm | 2450 mm |
