2003 Panoz Esperante vs. 1978 Toyota Century
To start off, 2003 Panoz Esperante is newer by 25 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Toyota Century. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Toyota Century would be higher. At 4,601 cc (8 cylinders), 2003 Panoz Esperante is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2003 Panoz Esperante (318 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 151 more horse power than 1978 Toyota Century. (167 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2003 Panoz Esperante should accelerate faster than 1978 Toyota Century. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Toyota Century weights approximately 535 kg more than 2003 Panoz Esperante.
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, 2003 Panoz Esperante (426 Nm @ 4750 RPM) has 156 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Toyota Century. (270 Nm @ 4400 RPM). This means 2003 Panoz Esperante will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Toyota Century. 1978 Toyota Century has automatic transmission and 2003 Panoz Esperante has manual transmission. 2003 Panoz Esperante will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1978 Toyota Century will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 2003 Panoz Esperante | 1978 Toyota Century | |
| Make | Panoz | Toyota |
| Model | Esperante | Century |
| Year Released | 2003 | 1978 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4601 cc | 3376 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 318 HP | 167 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 426 Nm | 270 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4750 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1270 kg | 1805 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4480 mm | 4990 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1900 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1360 mm | 1470 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2720 mm | 2870 mm |
