1996 Lotus Esprit vs. 1960 Riley 4
To start off, 1996 Lotus Esprit is newer by 36 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1960 Riley 4. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1960 Riley 4 would be higher. At 2,174 cc (4 cylinders), 1996 Lotus Esprit is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1996 Lotus Esprit (285 HP) has 222 more horse power than 1960 Riley 4. (63 HP). In normal driving conditions, 1996 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1960 Riley 4.
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, 1996 Lotus Esprit (510 Nm) has 394 more torque (in Nm) than 1960 Riley 4. (116 Nm). This means 1996 Lotus Esprit will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1960 Riley 4.
Compare all specifications:
| 1996 Lotus Esprit | 1960 Riley 4 | |
| Make | Lotus | Riley |
| Model | Esprit | 4 |
| Year Released | 1996 | 1960 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 1489 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 285 HP | 63 HP |
| Torque | 510 Nm | 116 Nm |
| Engine Bore Size | 95.3 mm | 73 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 76.2 mm | 88.9 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Length | 4430 mm | 4530 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1840 mm | 1620 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1150 mm | 1530 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2420 mm | 2530 mm |
