1985 Lotus Excel vs. 1980 Pontiac Firebird
To start off, 1985 Lotus Excel is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1980 Pontiac Firebird. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1980 Pontiac Firebird would be higher. At 5,012 cc (8 cylinders), 1980 Pontiac Firebird is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1985 Lotus Excel (181 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 36 more horse power than 1980 Pontiac Firebird. (145 HP @ 3800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1985 Lotus Excel should accelerate faster than 1980 Pontiac Firebird. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Pontiac Firebird weights approximately 425 kg more than 1985 Lotus Excel.
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, 1980 Pontiac Firebird (324 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 92 more torque (in Nm) than 1985 Lotus Excel. (232 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1980 Pontiac Firebird will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1985 Lotus Excel.
Compare all specifications:
| 1985 Lotus Excel | 1980 Pontiac Firebird | |
| Make | Lotus | Pontiac |
| Model | Excel | Firebird |
| Year Released | 1985 | 1980 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 5012 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 181 HP | 145 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 232 Nm | 324 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 95.3 mm | 95 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 76.2 mm | 88.4 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 10.9:1 | 8.6:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Top Speed | 217 km/hour | 160 km/hour |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1171 kg | 1596 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4380 mm | 4880 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1820 mm | 1870 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1020 mm | 1290 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2490 mm | 2750 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 66 L | 76 L |
