1969 Lotus Elan vs. 1980 Toyota Carina
To start off, 1980 Toyota Carina is newer by 11 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 1,588 cc (4 cylinders), 1980 Toyota Carina is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1969 Lotus Elan (118 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 43 more horse power than 1980 Toyota Carina. (75 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1969 Lotus Elan should accelerate faster than 1980 Toyota Carina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Toyota Carina 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 Lotus Elan (146 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 31 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Toyota Carina. (115 Nm @ 3800 RPM). This means 1969 Lotus Elan will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Toyota Carina. 1980 Toyota Carina 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. 1980 Toyota Carina will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1969 Lotus Elan | 1980 Toyota Carina | |
| Make | Lotus | Toyota |
| Model | Elan | Carina |
| Year Released | 1969 | 1980 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1558 cc | 1588 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 118 HP | 75 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 146 Nm | 115 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.5:1 | 9.0:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 889 kg | 996 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4300 mm | 4340 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1680 mm | 1640 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1200 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2510 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 59 L | 60 L |
