2001 Lotus Elise vs. 1971 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 2001 Lotus Elise is newer by 30 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Mercury Cougar (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 47 more horse power than 2001 Lotus Elise. (120 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1971 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 2001 Lotus Elise. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 900 kg more than 2001 Lotus Elise. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
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, 1971 Mercury Cougar (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 195 more torque (in Nm) than 2001 Lotus Elise. (168 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1971 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2001 Lotus Elise.
Compare all specifications:
| 2001 Lotus Elise | 1971 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Elise | Cougar |
| Year Released | 2001 | 1971 |
| Body Type | Roadster | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 1796 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 120 HP | 167 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 168 Nm | 363 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 750 kg | 1650 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3790 mm | 5080 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1730 mm | 1920 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1150 mm | 1310 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2310 mm | 2860 mm |
