1952 Austin Princess vs. 1981 Lotus Esprit
To start off, 1981 Lotus Esprit is newer by 29 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1952 Austin Princess. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1952 Austin Princess would be higher. At 3,993 cc (6 cylinders), 1952 Austin Princess is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Lotus Esprit (158 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 34 more horse power than 1952 Austin Princess. (124 HP @ 3800 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1981 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1952 Austin Princess. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1952 Austin Princess weights approximately 836 kg more than 1981 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, 1952 Austin Princess (287 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 66 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Lotus Esprit. (221 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1952 Austin Princess will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Lotus Esprit.
Compare all specifications:
| 1952 Austin Princess | 1981 Lotus Esprit | |
| Make | Austin | Lotus |
| Model | Princess | Esprit |
| Year Released | 1952 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Middle |
| Engine Size | 3993 cc | 2174 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 124 HP | 158 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3800 RPM | 6500 RPM |
| Torque | 287 Nm | 221 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2200 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 6.8:1 | 9.4:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1956 kg | 1120 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4880 mm | 4200 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1870 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1710 mm | 1120 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3030 mm | 2440 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 34 L | 67 L |
