1998 Lotus Elise vs. 1996 Renault Spider
To start off, 1998 Lotus Elise is newer by 2 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1996 Renault Spider. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1996 Renault Spider would be higher. At 1,998 cc (4 cylinders), 1996 Renault Spider is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1998 Lotus Elise (187 HP @ 7000 RPM) has 46 more horse power than 1996 Renault Spider. (141 HP @ 5750 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1998 Lotus Elise should accelerate faster than 1996 Renault Spider. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1996 Renault Spider weights approximately 276 kg more than 1998 Lotus Elise.
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, 1998 Lotus Elise (193 Nm @ 5600 RPM) has 8 more torque (in Nm) than 1996 Renault Spider. (185 Nm @ 4500 RPM). This means 1998 Lotus Elise will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1996 Renault Spider.
Compare all specifications:
| 1998 Lotus Elise | 1996 Renault Spider | |
| Make | Lotus | Renault |
| Model | Elise | Spider |
| Year Released | 1998 | 1996 |
| Body Type | Roadster | Roadster |
| Engine Position | Middle | Middle |
| Engine Size | 1796 cc | 1998 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 187 HP | 141 HP |
| Engine RPM | 7000 RPM | 5750 RPM |
| Torque | 193 Nm | 185 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5600 RPM | 4500 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 714 kg | 990 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3740 mm | 3800 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1840 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1210 mm | 1260 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2310 mm | 2350 mm |
