1981 Ford Cortina vs. 1985 Lotus Excel
To start off, 1985 Lotus Excel is newer by 4 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Ford Cortina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Ford Cortina would be higher. At 2,174 cc (4 cylinders), 1985 Lotus Excel is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1985 Lotus Excel (181 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 122 more horse power than 1981 Ford Cortina. (59 HP @ 5750 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1985 Lotus Excel should accelerate faster than 1981 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1985 Lotus Excel weights approximately 171 kg more than 1981 Ford Cortina. 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, 1985 Lotus Excel (232 Nm @ 5000 RPM) has 140 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Ford Cortina. (92 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1985 Lotus Excel will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1981 Ford Cortina | 1985 Lotus Excel | |
| Make | Ford | Lotus |
| Model | Cortina | Excel |
| Year Released | 1981 | 1985 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1293 cc | 2174 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 59 HP | 181 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5750 RPM | 6500 RPM |
| Torque | 92 Nm | 232 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 81 mm | 95.3 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 63 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.2:1 | 10.9:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1000 kg | 1171 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4350 mm | 4380 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1820 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1020 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2590 mm | 2490 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 54 L | 66 L |
