1969 BMW 1600 vs. 1969 Lotus Elan
To start off, both 1969 BMW 1600 and 1969 Lotus Elan were released in the same year (1969). Therefore the support and the availability on parts for both vehicles should be relatively similar. At 1,990 cc (4 cylinders), 1969 BMW 1600 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1969 Lotus Elan (118 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 20 more horse power than 1969 BMW 1600. (98 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1969 Lotus Elan should accelerate faster than 1969 BMW 1600. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1969 BMW 1600 weights approximately 107 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 BMW 1600 (160 Nm @ 3500 RPM) has 14 more torque (in Nm) than 1969 Lotus Elan. (146 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1969 BMW 1600 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1969 Lotus Elan.
Compare all specifications:
| 1969 BMW 1600 | 1969 Lotus Elan | |
| Make | BMW | Lotus |
| Model | 1600 | Elan |
| Year Released | 1969 | 1969 |
| Body Type | Convertible | Convertible |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1990 cc | 1558 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 98 HP | 118 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 160 Nm | 146 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 89 mm | 82.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 80 mm | 72.8 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.5:1 | 9.5:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 996 kg | 889 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4240 mm | 4300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1600 mm | 1680 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1420 mm | 1200 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2510 mm | 2440 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 46 L | 59 L |
