1976 Ford Falcon vs. 1971 Lotus Elan
To start off, 1976 Ford Falcon is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Lotus Elan. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Lotus Elan would be higher. At 4,092 cc (6 cylinders), 1976 Ford Falcon is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1976 Ford Falcon (153 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 27 more horse power than 1971 Lotus Elan. (126 HP @ 6500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1976 Ford Falcon should accelerate faster than 1971 Lotus Elan. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1976 Ford Falcon weights approximately 510 kg more than 1971 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, 1976 Ford Falcon (325 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 172 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Lotus Elan. (153 Nm @ 5500 RPM). This means 1976 Ford Falcon will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Lotus Elan.
Compare all specifications:
| 1976 Ford Falcon | 1971 Lotus Elan | |
| Make | Ford | Lotus |
| Model | Falcon | Elan |
| Year Released | 1976 | 1971 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Convertible |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4092 cc | 1558 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 153 HP | 126 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 6500 RPM |
| Torque | 325 Nm | 153 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1600 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 93.5 mm | 82.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 99.3 mm | 72.8 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.3:1 | 10.3:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1380 kg | 870 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4870 mm | 4270 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1910 mm | 1620 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1420 mm | 1200 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2830 mm | 2440 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 45 L | 59 L |
