1969 Lotus Elan vs. 1979 Nissan Silvia
To start off, 1979 Nissan Silvia is newer by 10 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 1,952 cc (4 cylinders), 1979 Nissan Silvia is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1969 Lotus Elan (118 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 18 more horse power than 1979 Nissan Silvia. (100 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1969 Lotus Elan should accelerate faster than 1979 Nissan Silvia. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Nissan Silvia weights approximately 296 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, 1979 Nissan Silvia (152 Nm @ 3200 RPM) has 6 more torque (in Nm) than 1969 Lotus Elan. (146 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1979 Nissan Silvia will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1969 Lotus Elan. 1979 Nissan Silvia has automatic transmission and 1969 Lotus Elan has manual transmission. 1969 Lotus Elan will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1979 Nissan Silvia will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1969 Lotus Elan | 1979 Nissan Silvia | |
| Make | Lotus | Nissan |
| Model | Elan | Silvia |
| Year Released | 1969 | 1979 |
| Body Type | Convertible | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1558 cc | 1952 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 118 HP | 100 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 146 Nm | 152 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 889 kg | 1185 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4300 mm | 4480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1680 mm | 1690 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1200 mm | 1320 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2410 mm |
