1978 Ford Escort vs. 1998 Lotus Elise
To start off, 1998 Lotus Elise is newer by 20 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Ford Escort. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Ford Escort would be higher. At 1,796 cc (4 cylinders), 1998 Lotus Elise is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1998 Lotus Elise (187 HP @ 7000 RPM) has 142 more horse power than 1978 Ford Escort. (45 HP @ 6000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1998 Lotus Elise should accelerate faster than 1978 Ford Escort. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Ford Escort weights approximately 196 kg more than 1998 Lotus Elise.
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 Lotus Elise (193 Nm @ 5600 RPM) has 133 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Ford Escort. (60 Nm @ 4500 RPM). This means 1998 Lotus Elise will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Ford Escort.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Ford Escort | 1998 Lotus Elise | |
| Make | Ford | Lotus |
| Model | Escort | Elise |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1998 |
| Body Type | Station Wagon | Roadster |
| Engine Position | Front | Middle |
| Engine Size | 938 cc | 1796 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 45 HP | 187 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 7000 RPM |
| Torque | 60 Nm | 193 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 5600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 910 kg | 714 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4060 mm | 3740 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1570 mm | 1710 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1400 mm | 1210 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2410 mm | 2310 mm |
