1971 Ford Mustang vs. 2002 Lotus Esprit
To start off, 2002 Lotus Esprit is newer by 31 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Ford Mustang. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Ford Mustang would be higher. At 5,752 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Ford Mustang is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2002 Lotus Esprit (350 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 20 more horse power than 1971 Ford Mustang. (330 HP @ 5400 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2002 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1971 Ford Mustang. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Ford Mustang weights approximately 275 kg more than 2002 Lotus Esprit.
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, 1971 Ford Mustang (503 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 103 more torque (in Nm) than 2002 Lotus Esprit. (400 Nm @ 4250 RPM). This means 1971 Ford Mustang will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2002 Lotus Esprit.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Ford Mustang | 2002 Lotus Esprit | |
| Make | Ford | Lotus |
| Model | Mustang | Esprit |
| Year Released | 1971 | 2002 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Middle |
| Engine Size | 5752 cc | 3504 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 330 HP | 350 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5400 RPM | 6500 RPM |
| Torque | 503 Nm | 400 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 4250 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 101.6 mm | 83 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 88.9 mm | 81 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1615 kg | 1340 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4820 mm | 4380 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1890 mm | 1870 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1280 mm | 1160 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2780 mm | 2430 mm |
