1980 Lotus Esprit vs. 1989 Nissan Laurel
To start off, 1989 Nissan Laurel is newer by 9 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 2,823 cc (6 cylinders), 1989 Nissan Laurel is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1980 Lotus Esprit (208 HP @ 6250 RPM) has 115 more horse power than 1989 Nissan Laurel. (93 HP @ 4800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1980 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1989 Nissan Laurel. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1989 Nissan Laurel weights approximately 104 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 (277 Nm @ 4500 RPM) has 101 more torque (in Nm) than 1989 Nissan Laurel. (176 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1980 Lotus Esprit will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1989 Nissan Laurel.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Lotus Esprit | 1989 Nissan Laurel | |
| Make | Lotus | Nissan |
| Model | Esprit | Laurel |
| Year Released | 1980 | 1989 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2172 cc | 2823 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 208 HP | 93 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6250 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Torque | 277 Nm | 176 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Diesel |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1206 kg | 1310 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4200 mm | 4700 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1870 mm | 1700 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1120 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2450 mm | 2680 mm |
