1959 Lancia Appia vs. 1969 Lotus Elan
To start off, 1969 Lotus Elan is newer by 10 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1959 Lancia Appia. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1959 Lancia Appia would be higher. At 1,558 cc (4 cylinders), 1969 Lotus Elan is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1969 Lotus Elan (116 HP @ 6250 RPM) has 64 more horse power than 1959 Lancia Appia. (52 HP @ 4900 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1969 Lotus Elan should accelerate faster than 1959 Lancia Appia. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1959 Lancia Appia weights approximately 100 kg more than 1969 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, 1969 Lotus Elan (146 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 59 more torque (in Nm) than 1959 Lancia Appia. (87 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1969 Lotus Elan will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1959 Lancia Appia.
Compare all specifications:
| 1959 Lancia Appia | 1969 Lotus Elan | |
| Make | Lancia | Lotus |
| Model | Appia | Elan |
| Year Released | 1959 | 1969 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1090 cc | 1558 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 52 HP | 116 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4900 RPM | 6250 RPM |
| Torque | 87 Nm | 146 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 950 kg | 850 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4160 mm | 4290 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1520 mm | 1680 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1330 mm | 1200 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2520 mm | 2440 mm |
