Classic Car Mart Magazine Vol.20 No.04 10K Jaguar Question: Mk2 or S-Type Back Issue

One of the real high points of this job is the places you sometimes find yourself in the name of work. Anything involving Jaguar Heritage is
always a great day out of the offi ce and this month’s comparison of the 240 and S-Type was no different. This was one of those features which
makes you challenge your own knowledge: in my own case the received wisdom that the only Mk2s worth having are the biggerengined models. Zipping back and forth in the 240 for our photographer’s action shots
I found myself becoming surprised just how enjoyable the manual 240 was – and since it’s the more affordable of the Mk2s that can only be a good thing to the many enthusiasts out there who suddenly realise
they’re in danger of being priced out of the cars altogether. At the other end of the scale this month we have a twin test between the original Mercedes S-Class – well at least, the original car to offi cially bear the
Sonderklasse tag – and its British rival in the shape of the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. As you’ll see, both cars are very impressive in their own way but achieve greatness by very different means. And then of course there’s the mighty 6.9 version of the S-Class which must have been the world’s least likely hot rod back in the early ’70s but oh so subtle with it. Almost as low-key in fact as the Anglia 105E which was reportedly used
as a test bed for the Lotus twin cam engine destined for the Elan which we cover in this month’s Database feature. Another giant killer in the best traditions of the British motor industry it’s the exact opposite of the massive S-Class and remains a very capable car even by today’s standards – no wonder Mazda apparently acquired more than one example during its development of the MX-5. Away from executive limousines and sports cars, we’ve also revisited the history of the Land Rover Discovery, which turns 25 this year.