2001 Lotus Exige vs. 1973 Mercury Comet
To start off, 2001 Lotus Exige is newer by 28 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 2,782 cc (6 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Comet is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2001 Lotus Exige (177 HP @ 7800 RPM) has 95 more horse power than 1973 Mercury Comet. (82 HP @ 4400 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2001 Lotus Exige should accelerate faster than 1973 Mercury Comet. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Comet weights approximately 440 kg more than 2001 Lotus Exige.
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 (179 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 5 more torque (in Nm) than 2001 Lotus Exige. (174 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Comet will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2001 Lotus Exige.
Compare all specifications:
| 2001 Lotus Exige | 1973 Mercury Comet | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Exige | Comet |
| Year Released | 2001 | 1973 |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 1794 cc | 2782 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 177 HP | 82 HP |
| Engine RPM | 7800 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Torque | 174 Nm | 179 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 780 kg | 1220 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3800 mm | 4800 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1730 mm | 1800 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1190 mm | 1360 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2310 mm | 2800 mm |
