Excalibur Series IV

Excalibur Series IV: Which Version Should You Choose?

The Excalibur Series IV was offered as a Roadster from 1980 to 1985 in a single generation. The catalogue contains four entries, all named exactly 5.0 AT, so power and transmission must be used to distinguish them. Three produce 157 hp and 326 Nm, while the strongest develops 198 hp and 400 Nm.

The Excalibur Series IV was offered as a Roadster from 1980 to 1985 in a single generation. The catalogue contains four entries, all named exactly 5.0 AT, so power and transmission must be used to distinguish them. Three produce 157 hp and 326 Nm, while the strongest develops 198 hp and 400 Nm. For performance potential, the 198 hp version is the clear choice: it adds 41 hp and 74 Nm over the others and has the best weight-to-power ratio. Buyers prioritising lower kerb weight can instead choose one of the 157 hp cars, with the lightest listed at 1,990 kg.

Excalibur Series IV generations and versions

There is only one Excalibur Series IV generation in the supplied data, covering 1980–1985. It uses a Roadster body and includes four catalogue versions. No separate restyling or later generation is listed, so the meaningful comparison is between the four 5.0 AT entries within this generation.

All four use a 5,001 cm³ Gasoline engine with 8 cylinders in a V-shaped layout. The engine is Front, longitudinal, has 2 valves per cylinder and no boost. Every version is Automatic and RWD. The principal differences are output, fuel system, transmission gear count, compression ratio and weight.

Engines and specs

The 157 hp versions produce approximately 31.4 hp per litre, while the 198 hp 5.0 AT produces approximately 39.6 hp per litre. That is about 8.2 hp per litre more from the same listed displacement.

The 198 hp version also raises compression from 8.6 to 9.3 and replaces Carburetor supply with Distributed injection (multi-point). Its bore and stroke remain 94.9 × 88.4, matching the other entries. These figures make it the most substantially differentiated Series IV specification despite sharing the same 5.0 AT name.

Performance, mpg and economy

Acceleration from 0–100 km/h is not measured for all four 5.0 AT versions. Top speed is also not measured for every version.

City fuel consumption is not measured, highway fuel consumption is not measured, and combined fuel consumption is not measured across the entire Series IV catalogue. Consequently, an mpg figure cannot be calculated from the supplied data. CO₂ output and environmental class are likewise not measured for all versions.

The available specifications still allow a comparison of performance potential. The 198 hp 5.0 AT has approximately 10.7 kg of kerb weight per horsepower. The 157 hp versions have approximately 12.7 kg/hp at 1,990 kg, 13.0 kg/hp at 2,040 kg, and 12.7 kg/hp at 1,996 kg. On this measure, the 198 hp car carries approximately 2.0–2.3 fewer kilograms for each horsepower than the lower-output alternatives.

Torque tells the same story. The 198 hp version provides 400 Nm, which is 74 Nm more than the 326 Nm available from each 157 hp version. Its torque peak occurs at 2,800 rpm rather than 2,400 rpm.

Dimensions, weight and tank capacity

Full exterior dimensions are not measured in the supplied data. Wheel sizes are also not measured for every 5.0 AT version.

The lightest and heaviest cars are separated by 120 kg. Among the 157 hp choices, the 1,990 kg entry is 6 kg lighter than the other 3-speed version and 50 kg lighter than the 4-speed version. Only the 198 hp 5.0 AT has a measured gross weight, listed at 2,750 kg; its 2,110 kg kerb weight is 640 kg below that figure.

Every Series IV version has a 114 L fuel tank. The three 157 hp entries list 178 mm of ground clearance, whereas ground clearance for the 198 hp car is not measured.

Chassis, brakes and reliability data

All four 5.0 AT entries share Independent, spring front suspension and Independent, leaf spring rear suspension. Disc brakes are listed at both the front and rear for every version. The data therefore provides no chassis or brake specification that favours one Series IV version over another.

Problems, repair frequency and reliability ratings are not measured. No conclusion about which engine or transmission is more reliable can be supported from the supplied catalogue figures.

Which Excalibur Series IV version should you buy?

Choose the 5.0 AT (198 hp, 4-speed, 2,110 kg) if output is the priority. Compared with any 157 hp version, it supplies 41 hp and 74 Nm more. It also combines a 4-speed Automatic gearbox with Distributed injection (multi-point), reaches approximately 39.6 hp per litre, and offers the strongest weight-to-power figure at approximately 10.7 kg/hp. The trade-off is weight: it is 70 kg heavier than the other 4-speed car and 114–120 kg heavier than the 3-speed entries.

Choose the 5.0 AT (157 hp, 4-speed, 2,040 kg) if you want the lower-output specification with a 4-speed Automatic gearbox. It gains one transmission gear over the 3-speed versions but retains the same 157 hp, 326 Nm, Carburetor system and 8.6 compression ratio. Its measurable cost is additional mass: 44 kg more than the 1,996 kg 3-speed car and 50 kg more than the 1,990 kg example.

Of the two 3-speed, 157 hp versions, the 5.0 AT (157 hp, 3-speed, 1,990 kg) has the numerical advantage because it is 6 kg lighter than the otherwise closely matching 1,996 kg entry. Both list the same power, torque, engine configuration, fuel system, transmission type, drive, ground clearance and tank capacity.

Overall, the 198 hp 5.0 AT is the strongest specifications-based choice. The 1,990 kg, 157 hp 5.0 AT is the weight-focused alternative, while the 2,040 kg version is the choice for buyers who specifically prefer the 4-speed Automatic without moving to the 198 hp engine. Price data is not provided, so the extra money required for any version—and its financial value—cannot be measured.