1988 Lotus Esprit vs. 1981 Toyota Celica
To start off, 1988 Lotus Esprit is newer by 7 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Toyota Celica. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Toyota Celica would be higher. At 2,759 cc (6 cylinders), 1981 Toyota Celica is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1988 Lotus Esprit (215 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 101 more horse power than 1981 Toyota Celica. (114 HP @ 4800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1988 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1981 Toyota Celica. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Toyota Celica weights approximately 112 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, 1988 Lotus Esprit (298 Nm @ 4250 RPM) has 101 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Toyota Celica. (197 Nm @ 3600 RPM). This means 1988 Lotus Esprit will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Toyota Celica. 1981 Toyota Celica 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. 1981 Toyota Celica will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1988 Lotus Esprit | 1981 Toyota Celica | |
| Make | Lotus | Toyota |
| Model | Esprit | Celica |
| Year Released | 1988 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 2759 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 215 HP | 114 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Torque | 298 Nm | 197 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4250 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1188 kg | 1300 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4350 mm | 4630 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1870 mm | 1690 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1160 mm | 1320 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2620 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 31 L | 61 L |
