1985 Lotus Excel vs. 1981 Nissan Skyline
To start off, 1985 Lotus Excel is newer by 4 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Nissan Skyline. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Nissan Skyline 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 70 more horse power than 1981 Nissan Skyline. (111 HP @ 5600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1985 Lotus Excel should accelerate faster than 1981 Nissan Skyline. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1985 Lotus Excel weights approximately 86 kg more than 1981 Nissan Skyline. 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 65 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Nissan Skyline. (167 Nm @ 3600 RPM). This means 1985 Lotus Excel will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Nissan Skyline.
Compare all specifications:
| 1985 Lotus Excel | 1981 Nissan Skyline | |
| Make | Lotus | Nissan |
| Model | Excel | Skyline |
| Year Released | 1985 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 1951 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 181 HP | 111 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 5600 RPM |
| Torque | 232 Nm | 167 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Vehicle Weight | 1171 kg | 1085 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4380 mm | 4630 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1820 mm | 1680 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1020 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2490 mm | 2620 mm |
