1990 Lotus Esprit vs. 1970 Mercury Comet
To start off, 1990 Lotus Esprit is newer by 20 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Mercury Comet. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Mercury Comet would be higher. At 4,092 cc (6 cylinders), 1970 Mercury Comet is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1990 Lotus Esprit (172 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 74 more horse power than 1970 Mercury Comet. (98 HP @ 3600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1990 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1970 Mercury Comet. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Mercury Comet weights approximately 175 kg more than 1990 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 Comet (249 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 28 more torque (in Nm) than 1990 Lotus Esprit. (221 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Comet will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1990 Lotus Esprit.
Compare all specifications:
| 1990 Lotus Esprit | 1970 Mercury Comet | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Esprit | Comet |
| Year Released | 1990 | 1970 |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 4092 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 172 HP | 98 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 221 Nm | 249 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1175 kg | 1350 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4350 mm | 4800 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1870 mm | 1800 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1160 mm | 1360 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2800 mm |
