1979 Ford Escort vs. 1990 Lotus Esprit
To start off, 1990 Lotus Esprit is newer by 11 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1979 Ford Escort. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1979 Ford Escort would be higher. At 2,174 cc (4 cylinders), 1990 Lotus Esprit is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1990 Lotus Esprit (172 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 127 more horse power than 1979 Ford Escort. (45 HP @ 6000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1990 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1979 Ford Escort. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1990 Lotus Esprit weights approximately 265 kg more than 1979 Ford Escort. 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, 1990 Lotus Esprit (221 Nm @ 5000 RPM) has 161 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Ford Escort. (60 Nm @ 4500 RPM). This means 1990 Lotus Esprit will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Ford Escort.
Compare all specifications:
| 1979 Ford Escort | 1990 Lotus Esprit | |
| Make | Ford | Lotus |
| Model | Escort | Esprit |
| Year Released | 1979 | 1990 |
| Body Type | Station Wagon | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Middle |
| Engine Size | 939 cc | 2174 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 45 HP | 172 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 6500 RPM |
| Torque | 60 Nm | 221 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 5000 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 | 1175 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4060 mm | 4350 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1570 mm | 1870 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1400 mm | 1160 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2420 mm | 2440 mm |
