1957 Chevrolet Bel Air vs. 1985 Lotus Esprit
To start off, 1985 Lotus Esprit is newer by 28 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air would be higher. At 3,860 cc (6 cylinders), 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1985 Lotus Esprit (158 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 43 more horse power than 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. (115 HP @ 4200 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1985 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air weights approximately 558 kg more than 1985 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, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air (277 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 60 more torque (in Nm) than 1985 Lotus Esprit. (217 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1985 Lotus Esprit.
Compare all specifications:
| 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air | 1985 Lotus Esprit | |
| Make | Chevrolet | Lotus |
| Model | Bel Air | Esprit |
| Year Released | 1957 | 1985 |
| Engine Position | Front | Middle |
| Engine Size | 3860 cc | 2174 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 115 HP | 158 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4200 RPM | 6500 RPM |
| Torque | 277 Nm | 217 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2200 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 90.5 mm | 95.3 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 100 mm | 76.2 mm |
| 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 | 1626 kg | 1068 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5320 mm | 4200 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1980 mm | 1860 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1450 mm | 1120 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2990 mm | 2490 mm |
