1962 Lotus Elan vs. 1963 Riley 4
To start off, 1963 Riley 4 is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1962 Lotus Elan. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1962 Lotus Elan would be higher. At 1,622 cc (4 cylinders), 1963 Riley 4 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1962 Lotus Elan (100 HP) has 33 more horse power than 1963 Riley 4. (67 HP). In normal driving conditions, 1962 Lotus Elan should accelerate faster than 1963 Riley 4. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1963 Riley 4 weights approximately 558 kg more than 1962 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, 1962 Lotus Elan (138 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 17 more torque (in Nm) than 1963 Riley 4. (121 Nm @ 2500 RPM). This means 1962 Lotus Elan will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1963 Riley 4.
Compare all specifications:
| 1962 Lotus Elan | 1963 Riley 4 | |
| Make | Lotus | Riley |
| Model | Elan | 4 |
| Year Released | 1962 | 1963 |
| Body Type | Convertible | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1496 cc | 1622 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 100 HP | 67 HP |
| Torque | 138 Nm | 121 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 2500 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 81 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 72.7 mm | 88.9 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.5:1 | 8.3:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 590 kg | 1148 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3700 mm | 4540 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1430 mm | 1620 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1110 mm | 1510 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2140 mm | 2530 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 45 L | 45 L |
