1987 Lotus Esprit vs. 1981 Toyota Soarer
To start off, 1987 Lotus Esprit is newer by 6 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Toyota Soarer. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Toyota Soarer would be higher. At 2,174 cc (4 cylinders), 1987 Lotus Esprit is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1987 Lotus Esprit (172 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 57 more horse power than 1981 Toyota Soarer. (115 HP @ 5400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1987 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1981 Toyota Soarer. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Toyota Soarer weights approximately 76 kg more than 1987 Lotus Esprit.
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, 1987 Lotus Esprit (221 Nm @ 5000 RPM) has 49 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Toyota Soarer. (172 Nm @ 4400 RPM). This means 1987 Lotus Esprit will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Toyota Soarer.
Compare all specifications:
| 1987 Lotus Esprit | 1981 Toyota Soarer | |
| Make | Lotus | Toyota |
| Model | Esprit | Soarer |
| Year Released | 1987 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 1988 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 172 HP | 115 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 5400 RPM |
| Torque | 221 Nm | 172 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 95.3 mm | 75 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 76.2 mm | 75 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1104 kg | 1180 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4340 mm | 4660 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1870 mm | 1700 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1140 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2460 mm | 2670 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 67 L | 75 L |
