1988 Lotus Esprit vs. 1970 Mercury Marauder
To start off, 1988 Lotus Esprit is newer by 18 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Mercury Marauder. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Mercury Marauder would be higher. At 6,392 cc (8 cylinders), 1970 Mercury Marauder is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1988 Lotus Esprit (172 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 1 more horse power than 1970 Mercury Marauder. (171 HP @ 4600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1988 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1970 Mercury Marauder. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Mercury Marauder weights approximately 819 kg more than 1988 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, 1970 Mercury Marauder (383 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 162 more torque (in Nm) than 1988 Lotus Esprit. (221 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Marauder will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1988 Lotus Esprit.
Compare all specifications:
| 1988 Lotus Esprit | 1970 Mercury Marauder | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Esprit | Marauder |
| Year Released | 1988 | 1970 |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 6392 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 172 HP | 171 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 4600 RPM |
| Torque | 221 Nm | 383 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1176 kg | 1995 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4350 mm | 5640 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1870 mm | 2040 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1160 mm | 1380 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 3160 mm |
