1969 Lotus Elan vs. 1970 Toyota Century
To start off, 1970 Toyota Century is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1969 Lotus Elan. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1969 Lotus Elan would be higher. At 2,981 cc (8 cylinders), 1970 Toyota Century is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1970 Toyota Century (127 HP @ 5200 RPM) has 11 more horse power than 1969 Lotus Elan. (116 HP @ 6250 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1970 Toyota Century should accelerate faster than 1969 Lotus Elan. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Toyota Century weights approximately 950 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, 1970 Toyota Century (251 Nm @ 3600 RPM) has 105 more torque (in Nm) than 1969 Lotus Elan. (146 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1970 Toyota Century will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1969 Lotus Elan.
Compare all specifications:
| 1969 Lotus Elan | 1970 Toyota Century | |
| Make | Lotus | Toyota |
| Model | Elan | Century |
| Year Released | 1969 | 1970 |
| Body Type | Convertible | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1558 cc | 2981 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 116 HP | 127 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6250 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 146 Nm | 251 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 850 kg | 1800 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4290 mm | 4990 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1680 mm | 1900 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1200 mm | 1460 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2870 mm |
