1980 Lotus Esprit vs. 1981 Nissan Laurel
To start off, 1981 Nissan Laurel is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1980 Lotus Esprit. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1980 Lotus Esprit would be higher. At 2,393 cc (6 cylinders), 1981 Nissan Laurel is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1980 Lotus Esprit (210 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 99 more horse power than 1981 Nissan Laurel. (111 HP @ 5000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1980 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1981 Nissan Laurel. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Lotus Esprit weights approximately 74 kg more than 1981 Nissan Laurel. 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, 1980 Lotus Esprit (271 Nm @ 4500 RPM) has 92 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Nissan Laurel. (179 Nm @ 3600 RPM). This means 1980 Lotus Esprit will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Nissan Laurel. 1981 Nissan Laurel has automatic transmission and 1980 Lotus Esprit has manual transmission. 1980 Lotus Esprit will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1981 Nissan Laurel will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Lotus Esprit | 1981 Nissan Laurel | |
| Make | Lotus | Nissan |
| Model | Esprit | Laurel |
| Year Released | 1980 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 2393 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 210 HP | 111 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Torque | 271 Nm | 179 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1219 kg | 1145 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4200 mm | 4060 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1630 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1120 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2410 mm |
