Jaguar E-Type v. Mercedes-Benz 300SL

Sir,

I have been a regular reader of your excellent journal for ten years and would appreciate very much your publication of the following in the readers’ letters.

The new Jaguar E-type is remarkable value for money, and, as you say, at nearly one-third of its competitors’ prices it cannot fail to be a best seller in the G.T. class.

However, very creditable though it may be, one must bear in mind that six years ago a car now costing regrettably over double the price of the Jaguar in Britain, and almost 800 c.c. smaller in capacity, put up almost as good a performance as regards acceleration and maximum speed. The brakes however, were not of the disc type, and the makers have rather belatedly fitted British ones to this car, thus increasing the usable performance considerably. Readers may like to compare 1956 MOTOR SPORT figures against Autocar figures for the Mercedes 300SL and Jaguar E-type respectively :

                                                 300SL                     E-type

0-50 m.p.h.          . .      5.7 sec. from standstill        5.6 sec.

0-70 m.p.h.          . .      8.5 sec.                               8.5 sec.

0-100 m.p h.  

and s.s. 1/4-mile  . .      16 + sec. ( <16 has been   16.2 sec.

                                            recorded)

0-120 m.p.h.        . .      25.0 sec.                             25.9 sec.

Maximum              . .     145-160 + m.p.h., accord-  150 + m.p.h.,  according

                                      -ing to axle ratio.                                        to axle ratio

What a pity that Jaguars have only just fitted i.r.s.; but for this they may have had more success at road racing than track events. For, remarkable as their record at Le Man’s stands, they have never, to my knowledge, even finished at the Nurburgring, in the Mille Miglia or the Pan-American Road Race!

Finally, what do owners of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL think of the car, which has now taken second place in competition motoring to the Ferrari 250 G.T. ?

                                                                                                                  I am, Yours, etc.,

Hornchurch.                                                                                                         C. FOREMAN.