50 YEARS OF R107 SL AND V12 E-TYPE

Guest post written by Andrew Martin…

For me a 50th birthday must be more exciting than a 60th, so let’s leave the original 1961 e-type series 1 launch cars to their hippie music and cheese and pineapple on sticks.

Instead, let’s enjoy two birthday celebrations for both the Jaguar V12 e-type and the Mercedes R107 SL. At the SL party there may be classical music, Sauerbraten and Gewürztraminer, while the e-type gig will feature vinyl by Slade, a mixed grill and brown ale.

When the Series 3 e-type was launched on 29 March 1971, Roger Bell in Motor was quoted as saying that all that was expected was a new engine, but, what in fact came was a new car. Not a yowling, aggressive Ferrari-like machine with which, perhaps, most people associate a V12 engine but a very smooth, quiet and refined grand touring sports car.

Which is exactly where Mercedes Benz was with the R107, launched in April 1971 as the new 350SL.

I’m not sure that back in the day the two cars were competitors for the pounds shillings and pence required for a deposit (the UK went decimal in 1971), and to be fair the 500 SL arrived in 1980. But, today they can be seen as classic rivals. A useable Jaguar V12 coupe can be bought for £60k, a bit more for a minter. Which is a few thousand more than you would pay for a lovely 500 SL. So, these two cars are in same virtual showroom, competing in 2021 for your lump sum, if you’re retiring at 60. So, let’s drive both and see if I can give you some hard consumer advice. Unlikely, but you never know. Will a self-confessed Mercedes Benz enthusiast (and serial owner) with OCD really take to a V12 e-type? Read on to find out.

I’ve spent a lot of time and done a few thousand miles in the SL SHOP 500 SL you see here. This is a car that does not attract unwanted (nor wanted if you are that way inclined) attention. I’ve parked it in public places up and down the land; top hotels, supermarkets for a woops price deal, rural spots when rambling, and no-one has ever commented on the SL. It’s a dependable stylish carriage, I can jump in it, fuel up and drive non-stop the 451.7 miles to Stratford. My long-suffering girlfriend likes it too, and that’s important. She values the understated style as she has been known to refuse to go in a showy car with noisy exhausts and a brash new money look. Yes, we’re old in years, but we think we’re old skool cool too, so the 500 SL suits us just fine.

Driving the SL can be as good as a modern on a long run, apart from the outdated sound system, and remember to pack a map. The revelation for me is that the SL delivers a super driving experience too. Yes, there’s a big oval tiller to steer with, but this is no barge, no, for me it gives the right amount of feel allowing the car to talk to me. Mostly in hushed tones through power assistance. This machine will reward you on country roads, pour on the V8 power and you can enjoy the sweeping asphalt twisty bits. The torque from the V8 makes for lazy progress, 71 mph is 2150 revs per minute. Open it up beyond 4000 revs and this is a quick car, a claimed top speed of 6 mph short of the e-type at 140mph.

Inside the two cars the common denominators are power steering and a snug cabin. Not sure how poor the original sounds are in the Jaguar though, as I don’t have any 8 – track tapes (ask your parents). The Jaguar is, surprisingly, more comfortable for me. I can get my size 12s down the side of the clutch, and the central armrest and door armrest are sited perfectly. Yes, it all feels just as it should in here… and the view down the bonnet, iconic.

The SL is quite a quick car that I don’t want to drive quick. The V12 is a quick car that I want to drive, and sometimes drive quick. It’s been a long time since I’ve laughed out loud when driving. That’s what happened in the V12, more than once. Push the throttle in any gear and just let the revs climb… and hang on. The back end gets light and on “my” car the brakes aren’t SL modern, but, what a drive. That 4-speed gearbox mated to the huge engine works better than rhubarb crumble with custard. I thought it’d be a lazy torquey car. Scrub that, this is a sports car. Torquey? Sure. I was able to pop it into top (4^th) from 1000 revs. And from there the car will pull in an unrelenting fashion all the way to 146 mph. A braver man or woman then me is required to see that number on the speedo, and be on a runway please.    

Driving the e-type needs more work than the SL. Obviously, there’s no heated seats, electric windows, and no electric mirror, in fact, yikes, when setting off up the M40 I realised there were no exterior mirrors at all. The lovely drilled aluminium steering wheel is so 1970’s British Leyland, and I adore it. The circumference is the right size, the rim perfect, and it’s a delight to use. Arguably too much use in town traffic. Starting and running a car on multiple carburettors is always going to be more of a challenge than the fuel injection. So, get used to playing with the choke. Once moving there’s the satisfying long throw of the gear lever to enjoy, matched to an easy-to-use clutch. I can almost forgive the heat soak from the V12 into the cabin when presented with the row of black rocker switches to look at and use on as I sweat. On summer days, and nights, you get greasy. The windows were always down as the cabin got hot hot hot.

The interiors of the cars couldn’t be more different, but each perfectly represents the personality’s of the cars. A lesser writer would explain this, but you’re a car geek, look at the pictures and enjoy constructing your own analogies.

Then the looks. Both cars are pieces of art to me, I’ve enjoyed popping into the garage at night and admiring them equally. But, the Jaguar wins the beauty contest, and the design features like the bonnet opening catches, interior door handle, and concealed hatch design are all bespoke and lovely to use. And in that hatch, you can carry more than enough luggage for two. Forget blending or being low profile in the e-type. People wave at you and want to talk to you at posh hotels (a modern BMW driver had never seen door keys).

Right, as promised, consumer advice time. If you want to impress your boyfriend or need discretion when entertaining someone else’s wife, buy the SL. 

Both cars make sense in 2021, as they remind you that after 50 years working on the planet life is good, and so are they.

No one could ever buy an R107 and be disappointed. A Jaguar e-type could be more of a handful. I love the Mercedes Benz SL, but, pass the brown ale, I’m in love with the Jaguar V12.

Thanks to the SL SHOP who provided the SL and Tony Merrygold at Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust who provided the Jaguar.

E Type at 68mph…