1984 Lotus Esprit vs. 1981 Toyota Celica
To start off, 1984 Lotus Esprit is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Toyota Celica. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Toyota Celica would be higher. At 2,174 cc (4 cylinders), 1984 Lotus Esprit is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1984 Lotus Esprit (158 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 51 more horse power than 1981 Toyota Celica. (107 HP @ 6000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1984 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1981 Toyota Celica. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Toyota Celica weights approximately 43 kg more than 1984 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, 1984 Lotus Esprit (217 Nm @ 5000 RPM) has 70 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Toyota Celica. (147 Nm @ 4800 RPM). This means 1984 Lotus Esprit will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Toyota Celica.
Compare all specifications:
| 1984 Lotus Esprit | 1981 Toyota Celica | |
| Make | Lotus | Toyota |
| Model | Esprit | Celica |
| Year Released | 1984 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 1588 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 158 HP | 107 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 217 Nm | 147 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 95.3 mm | 81 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 76.2 mm | 77 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 4 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1067 kg | 1110 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4200 mm | 4460 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1670 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1120 mm | 1330 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2490 mm | 2510 mm |
