1981 Lotus Esprit vs. 1955 Mercury Montclair
To start off, 1981 Lotus Esprit is newer by 26 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1955 Mercury Montclair. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1955 Mercury Montclair would be higher. At 4,196 cc (8 cylinders), 1955 Mercury Montclair is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Lotus Esprit (208 HP @ 6250 RPM) has 49 more horse power than 1955 Mercury Montclair. (159 HP @ 4400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1981 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1955 Mercury Montclair.
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, 1955 Mercury Montclair (323 Nm @ 2500 RPM) has 46 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Lotus Esprit. (277 Nm @ 4500 RPM). This means 1955 Mercury Montclair will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Lotus Esprit.
Compare all specifications:
| 1981 Lotus Esprit | 1955 Mercury Montclair | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Esprit | Montclair |
| Year Released | 1981 | 1955 |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2172 cc | 4196 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 208 HP | 159 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6250 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 277 Nm | 323 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 2500 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Length | 4200 mm | 5250 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1870 mm | 1950 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1120 mm | 1490 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2450 mm | 2980 mm |
