2005 Lotus Elise vs. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis
To start off, 2005 Lotus Elise is newer by 27 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis would be higher. At 5,766 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2005 Lotus Elise (189 HP @ 7800 RPM) has 50 more horse power than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. (139 HP @ 3200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2005 Lotus Elise should accelerate faster than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis weights approximately 860 kg more than 2005 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, 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis (353 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 167 more torque (in Nm) than 2005 Lotus Elise. (186 Nm @ 6800 RPM). This means 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2005 Lotus Elise.
Compare all specifications:
| 2005 Lotus Elise | 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Elise | Grand Marquis |
| Year Released | 2005 | 1978 |
| Body Type | Roadster | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 1796 cc | 5766 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 189 HP | 139 HP |
| Engine RPM | 7800 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Torque | 186 Nm | 353 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 6800 RPM | 2200 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Premium | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 850 kg | 1710 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3790 mm | 5400 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1730 mm | 1980 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1150 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2310 mm | 2910 mm |
