2009 Lotus Elise vs. 1979 Toyota Corolla
To start off, 2009 Lotus Elise is newer by 30 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1979 Toyota Corolla. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1979 Toyota Corolla would be higher. At 1,796 cc (4 cylinders), 2009 Lotus Elise is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2009 Lotus Elise (186 HP @ 7800 RPM) has 111 more horse power than 1979 Toyota Corolla. (75 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 2009 Lotus Elise should accelerate faster than 1979 Toyota Corolla. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Toyota Corolla weights approximately 156 kg more than 2009 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, 2009 Lotus Elise (133 Nm @ 6800 RPM) has 17 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Toyota Corolla. (116 Nm @ 3800 RPM). This means 2009 Lotus Elise will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Toyota Corolla.
Compare all specifications:
| 2009 Lotus Elise | 1979 Toyota Corolla | |
| Make | Lotus | Toyota |
| Model | Elise | Corolla |
| Year Released | 2009 | 1979 |
| Body Type | Roadster | Hatchback |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 1796 cc | 1589 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 186 HP | 75 HP |
| Engine RPM | 7800 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 133 Nm | 116 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 6800 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 80 mm | 85 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 89.3 mm | 70 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 3 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 785 kg | 941 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3800 mm | 4090 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1860 mm | 1630 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1120 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2310 mm | 2410 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 38 L | 50 L |
