Less is more

The 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 was, in its day,

and remains today, a technological tour de force.

Equipped with a 3.0-liter V6 twin turbocharged

engine pushing out 320 hp and 315 ft-lbs. of

torque through an all-wheel-drive drive train fea-

turing all-wheel steering, adjustable suspension,

adjustable exhaust, and active aerodynamics,

the VR-4 was Mitsubishi’s ultimate sports car.

Yet a British sports car called the Lotus Elise

absolutely demolishes the Mitsubishi in every

aspect of performance with a paltry 1.8-liter nat-

urally aspirated four-cylinder engine, putting out

a comparatively meager 190 hp and 138 ft-lbs. of

torque.

How does the Lotus do it? Weight — or the lack

thereof. Whereas the Mitsubishi tips the scales

at nearly 3,800 pounds, the Lotus weighs in at a

featherweight 1,975 pounds.

Mass is the critical variable that allows a sub-

200 hp car to perform as though it is packing

over 400 hp under the hood. The physics are

straightforward: The lower the mass, the less

force it takes to move the car forward or to slow

down when the car is in motion. Lower mass

also exerts lower lateral forces under corner-

ing, allowing the car to carry more speed

through corners.

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