1978 Ferrari 308 vs. 1998 Panoz Esperante
To start off, 1998 Panoz Esperante is newer by 20 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Ferrari 308. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Ferrari 308 would be higher. At 4,599 cc (8 cylinders), 1998 Panoz Esperante is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1998 Panoz Esperante (317 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 62 more horse power than 1978 Ferrari 308. (255 HP @ 7700 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1998 Panoz Esperante should accelerate faster than 1978 Ferrari 308. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Ferrari 308 weights approximately 95 kg more than 1998 Panoz Esperante.
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, 1998 Panoz Esperante (426 Nm @ 4750 RPM) has 143 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Ferrari 308. (283 Nm @ 5500 RPM). This means 1998 Panoz Esperante will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Ferrari 308.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Ferrari 308 | 1998 Panoz Esperante | |
| Make | Ferrari | Panoz |
| Model | 308 | Esperante |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1998 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2927 cc | 4599 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 255 HP | 317 HP |
| Engine RPM | 7700 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 283 Nm | 426 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5500 RPM | 4750 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 81 mm | 90 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 71 mm | 90 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Vehicle Weight | 1365 kg | 1270 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4310 mm | 4480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1720 mm | 1860 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1220 mm | 1360 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2560 mm | 2720 mm |
