1999 Lotus Elise vs. 1973 Mercury Comet
To start off, 1999 Lotus Elise is newer by 26 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Mercury Comet. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Mercury Comet would be higher. At 3,271 cc (6 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Comet is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1999 Lotus Elise (118 HP @ 5500 RPM) has 35 more horse power than 1973 Mercury Comet. (83 HP @ 3800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1999 Lotus Elise should accelerate faster than 1973 Mercury Comet. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Comet weights approximately 512 kg more than 1999 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, 1973 Mercury Comet (205 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 40 more torque (in Nm) than 1999 Lotus Elise. (165 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Comet will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1999 Lotus Elise.
Compare all specifications:
| 1999 Lotus Elise | 1973 Mercury Comet | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Elise | Comet |
| Year Released | 1999 | 1973 |
| Body Type | Roadster | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 1796 cc | 3271 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 118 HP | 83 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 165 Nm | 205 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 80 mm | 93.5 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 89.4 mm | 79.5 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 708 kg | 1220 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3730 mm | 4620 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1800 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1210 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2310 mm | 2630 mm |
