1980 Lotus Esprit vs. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis
To start off, 1980 Lotus Esprit is newer by 2 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis would be higher. At 5,766 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1980 Lotus Esprit (208 HP @ 6250 RPM) has 69 more horse power than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. (139 HP @ 3200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1980 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 504 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, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis (353 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 76 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Lotus Esprit. (277 Nm @ 4500 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Lotus Esprit.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Lotus Esprit | 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Esprit | Grand Marquis |
| Year Released | 1980 | 1978 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2172 cc | 5766 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 208 HP | 139 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6250 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Torque | 277 Nm | 353 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 2200 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1206 kg | 1710 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4200 mm | 5400 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1870 mm | 1980 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1120 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2450 mm | 2910 mm |
