1988 Lotus Esprit vs. 1974 Nissan Fairlady
To start off, 1988 Lotus Esprit is newer by 14 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1974 Nissan Fairlady. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1974 Nissan Fairlady would be higher. At 2,174 cc (4 cylinders), 1988 Lotus Esprit is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1988 Lotus Esprit (172 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 63 more horse power than 1974 Nissan Fairlady. (109 HP @ 6000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1988 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1974 Nissan Fairlady. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1988 Lotus Esprit weights approximately 181 kg more than 1974 Nissan Fairlady. 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, 1988 Lotus Esprit (221 Nm @ 5000 RPM) has 46 more torque (in Nm) than 1974 Nissan Fairlady. (175 Nm @ 4400 RPM). This means 1988 Lotus Esprit will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1974 Nissan Fairlady.
Compare all specifications:
| 1988 Lotus Esprit | 1974 Nissan Fairlady | |
| Make | Lotus | Nissan |
| Model | Esprit | Fairlady |
| Year Released | 1988 | 1974 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 1996 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 172 HP | 109 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 221 Nm | 175 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1176 kg | 995 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4350 mm | 4150 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1870 mm | 1630 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1160 mm | 1290 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2310 mm |
