1980 Lotus Esprit vs. 1971 Mercury Comet
To start off, 1980 Lotus Esprit is newer by 9 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Mercury Comet. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Mercury Comet would be higher. At 2,782 cc (6 cylinders), 1971 Mercury Comet is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1980 Lotus Esprit (210 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 129 more horse power than 1971 Mercury Comet. (81 HP @ 4400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1980 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1971 Mercury Comet. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Mercury Comet weights approximately 1 kg more than 1980 Lotus Esprit.
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, 1980 Lotus Esprit (271 Nm @ 4500 RPM) has 96 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Mercury Comet. (175 Nm @ 1800 RPM). This means 1980 Lotus Esprit will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Mercury Comet.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Lotus Esprit | 1971 Mercury Comet | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Esprit | Comet |
| Year Released | 1980 | 1971 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 2782 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 210 HP | 81 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 271 Nm | 175 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1219 kg | 1220 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4200 mm | 4620 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1800 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1120 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2630 mm |
