1985 Ford Mustang vs. 2012 Lotus Elise
To start off, 2012 Lotus Elise is newer by 27 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1985 Ford Mustang. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1985 Ford Mustang would be higher. At 2,294 cc (4 cylinders), 1985 Ford Mustang is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2012 Lotus Elise (189 HP @ 7800 RPM) has 102 more horse power than 1985 Ford Mustang. (87 HP @ 4800 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2012 Lotus Elise should accelerate faster than 1985 Ford Mustang. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1985 Ford Mustang weights approximately 273 kg more than 2012 Lotus Elise.
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, 2012 Lotus Elise (180 Nm @ 6800 RPM) has 19 more torque (in Nm) than 1985 Ford Mustang. (161 Nm @ 2800 RPM). This means 2012 Lotus Elise will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1985 Ford Mustang.
Compare all specifications:
| 1985 Ford Mustang | 2012 Lotus Elise | |
| Make | Ford | Lotus |
| Model | Mustang | Elise |
| Year Released | 1985 | 2012 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Roadster |
| Engine Position | Front | Middle |
| Engine Size | 2294 cc | 1800 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 87 HP | 189 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4800 RPM | 7800 RPM |
| Torque | 161 Nm | 180 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2800 RPM | 6800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1185 kg | 912 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4560 mm | 3785 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1720 mm | 1720 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1320 mm | 1118 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2560 mm | 2299 mm |
