2007 Lotus Elise vs. 1980 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 2007 Lotus Elise is newer by 27 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1980 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1980 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 2,301 cc (4 cylinders), 1980 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2007 Lotus Elise (120 HP @ 5600 RPM) has 30 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (90 HP @ 4600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2007 Lotus Elise should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 530 kg more than 2007 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, 2007 Lotus Elise (168 Nm @ 4500 RPM) has 4 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (164 Nm @ 2600 RPM). This means 2007 Lotus Elise will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
2007 Lotus Elise | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
Make | Lotus | Mercury |
Model | Elise | Cougar |
Year Released | 2007 | 1980 |
Body Type | Roadster | Coupe |
Engine Position | Middle | Front |
Engine Size | 1796 cc | 2301 cc |
Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
Horse Power | 120 HP | 90 HP |
Engine RPM | 5600 RPM | 4600 RPM |
Torque | 168 Nm | 164 Nm |
Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 2600 RPM |
Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
Number of Seats | 2 seats | 4 seats |
Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
Vehicle Weight | 785 kg | 1315 kg |
Vehicle Length | 3790 mm | 4960 mm |
Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1810 mm |
Vehicle Height | 1120 mm | 1370 mm |
Wheelbase Size | 2310 mm | 2690 mm |