1971 Lotus Elan vs. 1970 Mercury Comet
To start off, 1971 Lotus Elan is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Mercury Comet. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Mercury Comet would be higher. At 2,782 cc (6 cylinders), 1970 Mercury Comet is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Lotus Elan (126 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 44 more horse power than 1970 Mercury Comet. (82 HP @ 4400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1971 Lotus Elan should accelerate faster than 1970 Mercury Comet. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Mercury Comet weights approximately 350 kg more than 1971 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, 1970 Mercury Comet (178 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 25 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Lotus Elan. (153 Nm @ 5500 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Comet will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Lotus Elan.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Lotus Elan | 1970 Mercury Comet | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Elan | Comet |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1970 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1558 cc | 2782 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 126 HP | 82 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 153 Nm | 178 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5500 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 870 kg | 1220 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4270 mm | 4800 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1620 mm | 1800 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1200 mm | 1360 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2800 mm |
