1988 Lotus Esprit vs. 1988 Mercedes-Benz S
To start off, both 1988 Lotus Esprit and 1988 Mercedes-Benz S were released in the same year (1988). Therefore the support and the availability on parts for both vehicles should be relatively similar. At 2,599 cc (6 cylinders), 1988 Mercedes-Benz S is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1988 Lotus Esprit (215 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 50 more horse power than 1988 Mercedes-Benz S. (165 HP @ 4600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1988 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1988 Mercedes-Benz S. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1988 Mercedes-Benz S weights approximately 332 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 70 more torque (in Nm) than 1988 Mercedes-Benz S. (228 Nm @ 4600 RPM). This means 1988 Lotus Esprit will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1988 Mercedes-Benz S.
Compare all specifications:
| 1988 Lotus Esprit | 1988 Mercedes-Benz S | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercedes-Benz |
| Model | Esprit | S |
| Year Released | 1988 | 1988 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 2599 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 215 HP | 165 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 4600 RPM |
| Torque | 298 Nm | 228 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4250 RPM | 4600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 95.3 mm | 82.9 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 76.2 mm | 80.3 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1188 kg | 1520 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4350 mm | 5030 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1870 mm | 1830 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1160 mm | 1440 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2950 mm |
