1988 Lotus Esprit vs. 1966 Mercury Cyclone
To start off, 1988 Lotus Esprit is newer by 22 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1966 Mercury Cyclone. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1966 Mercury Cyclone would be higher. At 6,393 cc (8 cylinders), 1966 Mercury Cyclone is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1966 Mercury Cyclone (335 HP @ 4800 RPM) has 163 more horse power than 1988 Lotus Esprit. (172 HP @ 6500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1966 Mercury Cyclone should accelerate faster than 1988 Lotus Esprit. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1966 Mercury Cyclone weights approximately 456 kg more than 1988 Lotus Esprit. 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, 1966 Mercury Cyclone (579 Nm @ 3200 RPM) has 358 more torque (in Nm) than 1988 Lotus Esprit. (221 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1966 Mercury Cyclone will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1988 Lotus Esprit. 1966 Mercury Cyclone has automatic transmission and 1988 Lotus Esprit has manual transmission. 1988 Lotus Esprit will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1966 Mercury Cyclone will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1988 Lotus Esprit | 1966 Mercury Cyclone | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Esprit | Cyclone |
| Year Released | 1988 | 1966 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 6393 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 172 HP | 335 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Torque | 221 Nm | 579 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 4 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1176 kg | 1632 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4350 mm | 4980 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1870 mm | 1880 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1160 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2950 mm |
