1994 Lotus Esprit vs. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis
To start off, 1994 Lotus Esprit is newer by 16 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis would be higher. At 5,766 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1994 Lotus Esprit (264 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 125 more horse power than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. (139 HP @ 3200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1994 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis.
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, 1994 Lotus Esprit (480 Nm @ 3900 RPM) has 127 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. (353 Nm @ 2200 RPM). This means 1994 Lotus Esprit will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis.
Compare all specifications:
| 1994 Lotus Esprit | 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Esprit | Grand Marquis |
| Year Released | 1994 | 1978 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2172 cc | 5766 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 264 HP | 139 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Torque | 480 Nm | 353 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3900 RPM | 2200 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Length | 4340 mm | 5400 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1870 mm | 1980 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1160 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 2910 mm |
