1979 Buick Estate vs. 2011 Lotus Elise
To start off, 2011 Lotus Elise is newer by 32 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1979 Buick Estate. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1979 Buick Estate would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1979 Buick Estate is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2011 Lotus Elise (217 HP @ 8000 RPM) has 79 more horse power than 1979 Buick Estate. (138 HP @ 3600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2011 Lotus Elise should accelerate faster than 1979 Buick Estate. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Buick Estate weights approximately 944 kg more than 2011 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, 1979 Buick Estate (318 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 108 more torque (in Nm) than 2011 Lotus Elise. (210 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1979 Buick Estate will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2011 Lotus Elise. 1979 Buick Estate has automatic transmission and 2011 Lotus Elise has manual transmission. 2011 Lotus Elise will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1979 Buick Estate will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1979 Buick Estate | 2011 Lotus Elise | |
| Make | Buick | Lotus |
| Model | Estate | Elise |
| Year Released | 1979 | 2011 |
| Body Type | Station Wagon | Roadster |
| Engine Position | Front | Middle |
| Engine Size | 4942 cc | 1800 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 138 HP | 217 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3600 RPM | 8000 RPM |
| Torque | 318 Nm | 210 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 5 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1870 kg | 926 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5510 mm | 3785 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1990 mm | 1720 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1440 mm | 1118 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2950 mm | 2299 mm |
