1968 Chevrolet Corvette vs. 1969 Lotus Elan
To start off, 1969 Lotus Elan is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1968 Chevrolet Corvette. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1968 Chevrolet Corvette would be higher. At 5,360 cc (8 cylinders), 1968 Chevrolet Corvette is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1968 Chevrolet Corvette (191 HP @ 5800 RPM) has 73 more horse power than 1969 Lotus Elan. (118 HP @ 6000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1968 Chevrolet Corvette should accelerate faster than 1969 Lotus Elan. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1968 Chevrolet Corvette weights approximately 521 kg more than 1969 Lotus Elan. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
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, 1968 Chevrolet Corvette (500 Nm @ 3600 RPM) has 354 more torque (in Nm) than 1969 Lotus Elan. (146 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1968 Chevrolet Corvette will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1969 Lotus Elan.
Compare all specifications:
| 1968 Chevrolet Corvette | 1969 Lotus Elan | |
| Make | Chevrolet | Lotus |
| Model | Corvette | Elan |
| Year Released | 1968 | 1969 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Convertible |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5360 cc | 1558 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 191 HP | 118 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5800 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 500 Nm | 146 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3600 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1410 kg | 889 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4650 mm | 4300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1760 mm | 1680 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1230 mm | 1200 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2500 mm | 2440 mm |
