1985 Lotus Excel vs. 1971 Reliant Rebel
To start off, 1985 Lotus Excel is newer by 14 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Reliant Rebel. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Reliant Rebel 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 150 more horse power than 1971 Reliant Rebel. (31 HP @ 5000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1985 Lotus Excel should accelerate faster than 1971 Reliant Rebel. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1985 Lotus Excel weights approximately 596 kg more than 1971 Reliant Rebel. 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 180 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Reliant Rebel. (52 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1985 Lotus Excel will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Reliant Rebel.
Compare all specifications:
| 1985 Lotus Excel | 1971 Reliant Rebel | |
| Make | Lotus | Reliant |
| Model | Excel | Rebel |
| Year Released | 1985 | 1971 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 699 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 181 HP | 31 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Torque | 232 Nm | 52 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 95.3 mm | 60.5 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 76.2 mm | 61 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 10.9:1 | 8.4:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Vehicle Weight | 1171 kg | 575 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4380 mm | 3510 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1820 mm | 1480 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1020 mm | 1420 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2490 mm | 2270 mm |
