1980 Lotus Esprit vs. 1986 Lotus Excel
To start off, 1986 Lotus Excel is newer by 6 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. Both 1980 Lotus Esprit and 1986 Lotus Excel are equipped with a 2,174 cc engine. In terms of performance, 1980 Lotus Esprit (210 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 30 more horse power than 1986 Lotus Excel. (180 HP @ 6500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1980 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1986 Lotus Excel. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Lotus Esprit weights approximately 42 kg more than 1986 Lotus Excel. 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 47 more torque (in Nm) than 1986 Lotus Excel. (224 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1980 Lotus Esprit will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1986 Lotus Excel. 1986 Lotus Excel 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. 1986 Lotus Excel will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Lotus Esprit | 1986 Lotus Excel | |
| Make | Lotus | Lotus |
| Model | Esprit | Excel |
| Year Released | 1980 | 1986 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 2174 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 210 HP | 180 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 6500 RPM |
| Torque | 271 Nm | 224 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 95.4 mm | 95.3 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 76.2 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 7.5:1 | 10.9:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1219 kg | 1177 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4200 mm | 4380 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1820 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1120 mm | 1020 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2490 mm |
