1984 Lotus Esprit vs. 1986 Lotus Excel
To start off, 1986 Lotus Excel is newer by 2 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1984 Lotus Esprit. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1984 Lotus Esprit would be higher. Both 1984 Lotus Esprit and 1986 Lotus Excel are equipped with a 2,174 cc engine. In terms of performance, 1986 Lotus Excel (180 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 22 more horse power than 1984 Lotus Esprit. (158 HP @ 6500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1986 Lotus Excel should accelerate faster than 1984 Lotus Esprit. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1986 Lotus Excel weights approximately 110 kg more than 1984 Lotus Esprit. 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, 1986 Lotus Excel (224 Nm @ 5000 RPM) has 7 more torque (in Nm) than 1984 Lotus Esprit. (217 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1986 Lotus Excel will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1984 Lotus Esprit. 1986 Lotus Excel has automatic transmission and 1984 Lotus Esprit has manual transmission. 1984 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:
| 1984 Lotus Esprit | 1986 Lotus Excel | |
| Make | Lotus | Lotus |
| Model | Esprit | Excel |
| Year Released | 1984 | 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 | 158 HP | 180 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 6500 RPM |
| Torque | 217 Nm | 224 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 95.3 mm | 95.3 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 76.2 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.5:1 | 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 | 1067 kg | 1177 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4200 mm | 4380 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1820 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1120 mm | 1020 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2490 mm | 2490 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 31 L | 31 L |
