Words: Mark Wright
Photos: Jared Clark
It was the beginning of the swinging ‘60s. Hemlines were going up, Britain’s war debt was going down and car manufacturers were getting down to the job of designing sports cars to appeal to the pop culture generation. Mark Wright looks at the contrasting approach of two neighbouring British car manufacturers.
Coming off a decade that included five wins at Le Mans and the launch of the Mk2 compact saloons, Jaguar’s fortunes were on the rise. By comparison, Daimler, one of Britain’s oldest car makers, was struggling. Its range of saloons, while still great cars, were looking dated and falling sales were making parent company BSA nervous.
However, both makes launched new sport cars during this era — the Daimler SP250 ‘Dart’ in 1959 and the Jaguar E-type in 1961.
They were cars of contrasts — the Jaguar, with its universally admired groundbreaking styling, all-independent suspension, still used that old traditional British big straight-six.
The Daimler, however, still harked back to the ‘50s-style of British sports car with its separate chassis, but pointed to the future with its compact, lightweight V8 and controversially-styled fibreglass body. At the time no one could foresee that the contrasting directions of these two cars would see them on a collision course that would end in the Jaguar company’s board room.
A new departure for Daimler
There is little doubt that the SP250 was a sharp change in direction for a company that built its reputation on supplying luxury limousines and saloons to the rich and royal.
Motor magazine put it succinctly in the lead-up to the Earls Court Motor Show saying that “particular interest on the Daimler stand will centre on the new SP250 sports model — a new departure for Daimler.”
There had already been a subtle shift in Daimler’s focus post-World War Two with the introduction of the Conquest in 1953 — a saloon built to appeal to the family buyer — albeit the well-heeled one. It was producing a beautiful range of mainly Barker-bodied drophead coupes, and introduced the Conquest Roadster/New Drophead Coupe the same year as the saloon but this was still very much a saloon-based car and not the all out sports car the company was soon to produce.
Turner around
By the time World War Two was disappearing over one horizon and the ‘60s were showing on the other, Daimler was in financial trouble. Initially Edward Turner, hea d of BSA’s Automotive Division, was asked to design a V8 saloon — given the factory code DN 250 — rather than a V8 sports car. Turner favoured a 90-degree V8 and was keen on the simplicity and lower cost of a single camshaft pushrod configuration, basing his design on that of the Cadillac V8. He also drew on his motorcycle design background — and his highly successful Triumph Speed Twin motorcycle engine, known for its advanced and efficient hemispherical combustion chambers — and put that knowledge into a new 2.5-litre V8.
Turner produced a small, smooth, torquey engine capable of revving over 6000rpm, turning out 140bhp (104kW) at 5800rpm. The new engine was ready, but the proposed high-volume saloon — the DN250 — had stalled. Turner considered a sports car and in late 1957 one of his V8s was mated to an Austin-Healey four-speed gearbox and installed in a Daimler-built chassis heavily based on the Triumph TR2.
Percy McNally, General Manager of Carbodies (a BSA subsidiary) — who had styled the Austin FX4 taxicab — was briefed to design the car for a steel production body. However, it would have cost Daimler around $120,000, to tool up for in steel and in order to save money, Daimler used McNally’s fibreglass experience to produce a plastic-bodied car. This move cut the investment in body manufacture down to a mere $16,000.
Two prototypes of the new sports car; one metalbodied, the other fibreglass, were tested extensively while a third prototype, effectively the first production car, was put in the hands of a few trusted journalists in 1959. They liked the four-wheel disc brakes and found the handling good, except on rough roads. But they absolutely loved the little V8, commenting on its smooth, free-revving nature and excellent flexibility. Their main complaints centred around scuttle shake and the weight of the steering.
Enter Jaguar
Daimler’s survival hung on the success of the SP250. Unfortunately it didn’t sell anywhere near enough, particularly in the lucrative US market. Daimler’s feasibility study put the case for 1000 cars in the first year and 2000 in the second, but it was soon obvious that, for a number of reasons, actual sales were not getting anywhere near those figures.
By now, Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) were finding that Coventry’s Daimler factory was simply a drain on its resources, so when its near neighbour, Jaguar, made a bid mid-way through June 1960, BSA was happy to pocket the cheque. Jaguar engineers and test drivers were less than impressed with the SP250’s dynamics and soon introduced a B-spec version with a strengthened chassis to counter scuttle shake.
They added a reinforced hoop around the bulkhead, longitudinal chassis outriggers and steel B-post strengthening. Introduced one at a time and retrofitted on some earlier cars, these new additions became become official with the April 1961 launch of the B-specification SP250 — which also included the standard fitment of front and rear bumpers, adjustable steering column, uprated rear axle and a trim upgrade. An optional automatic transmission was introduced in February 1961 — before that this option had only been available on export models or on the black Darts that were used by the Metropolitan Police, who bought a fl eet of SP250s which they used to chase speeding ‘cafe racers’ as well as celebrities and, so it is said, Royalty. (Interestingly, several of these special Police-spec SP250s were exported to New Zealand.) Finally, in April 1963, the final ‘C’ Dart was introduced with a cigar lighter, heater and tricklecharger socket as standard.
By that time, Jaguar was seriously considering the SP250’s future. It took 65 people to turn out 56 Etypes a month but that same number of workers would only be able to produce 39 SP250s. Jaguar went as far as developing a prototype SP252, with more conservative styling, but it was going to cost more than the E-type to produce and barely provide any profit. By the time the plug was pulled on the SP250 in September 1964, 1453 RHD cars had been built, along with 1201 LHD, giving a total of just 2654, making them a relatively rare machine. Turner’s V8, however, remained in production until 1969, finally finding its way into a Jaguar Mk2 body as a Daimler V8-250.
In the flesh
Looking at the eye-catching red 1960 SP250 of Robin Thomas there is little doubt these cars were styled with the lucrative American market in mind. Robin had been looking around for a Dart and when he mentioned it while talking cars with his brother-in-law in Timaru, the latter remarked about a very nice one belonging to a neighbour. “I said ‘No, there’s none in Timaru”. I thought I knew where they were all located.” A few minutes later they were in the garage of Timaru enthusiast Morgan Long looking at a gleaming red Dart. It had been in a fire before Morgan bought it and he had carried out a superb nut-and-bolt restoration. Robin kept in contact and occasionally got to drive the car when passing through Timaru. Eventually Morgan decided to sell and the car went with Robin to Dunedin.
“It’s a 16 year-old restoration but you wouldn’t know it,” he says. “Morgan did an exceedingly good job on it and I was lucky to get it in that sort of condition.”
Robin recently completed nearly 1500 miles doing the South Island section of the SP250 Top to Toe Tour and the Daimler didn’t miss a beat, returning 29.3 mpg. There is no overdrive, so the engine turns over at a bit below 3000rpm at 60mph, but cruises effortlessly with plenty in reserve.
“What attracted me to them was the engine,” remarks Robin. “They’re smooth, they’re powerful, beautifully balanced and they have a very distinctive note.”
Not surprisingly, Robin says he has no trouble keeping up with modern traffic. The car sits really well on the road and the four-wheel discs do their job very well. It can get a little unsettled on rough corners and kick the tail out if you get too enthusiastic, but Robin says it can be controlled on the throttle. The engine is light and set back in the chassis, giving very good weight distribution.
His car has had the B-spec modifications done to increase rigidity and the one non-original item is rack-and-pinion steering from a Triumph of that era, a common mod made by SP250 enthusiasts. It always attracts attention at car events or on the road. “They are decidedly quirky and distinctive in their styling,”
Robin says. For a traditional old manufacturer in real trouble, the SP250 was a brave step — and you’ve got to be glad they took it. The Daimler is one of those cars that brings a smile to your face when you see one, especially when it’s in this sort of condition.
Jaguar’s new sensation
As soon as the covers were lifted on the E-type at the Geneva Motor Show it was clear Jaguar had set a new direction for sports car building. Its sensual lines owed a lot to the work of aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer who had penned the Le Mans winning D-type. Gone was the old separate chassis and body approach of the XK range, replaced by monocoque construction and a new independent rear suspension system, which was later introduced to its MkX and XJ saloons. It was a car for a new decade, but it wasn’t all-new. Jaguar stuck with its highly successful XK twincam six, used throughout its range, this time in one of it’s sweetest guises — 3.8-litres with triple SU carburetors providing a 265bhp (197kW) and a claimed top speed nearing 150mph (241kpg).
Big sixes had long been the mainstay of British sports cars and in many ways accommodating that was what gave the E-type its long bonnet that harked back to the elegant SS cars of the ‘30s. The press raved about the E-type’s looks and the level of performance it offered for the sort of money Jaguar was asking. They were willing to forgive its weaknesses, which included barely adequate braking, despite discs all round, and its antiquated Moss gearbox — which dated back to the XK120 — which was considered too slow to use for such a potent car.
Bewitching
Long time Jaguar enthusiast Alistair Stevenson has always been fond of the looks of Jaguar’s original E-types. Indeed, his example is one of the earliest, often referred to as the ‘bonnet catch’ model, because of the two little locks on either side of the bonnet that are operated by a ‘T’ key.
Only 500 of these cars were made between March and September 1961 before Jaguar fitted concealed locks, operated from inside the car. For train spotters, it is also worth noting that these cars were part of another subset of E-types called ‘fl at-fl oor’. About 2600 of these were made until customer complaints about a lack of foot room saw Jaguar build small wells into the fl oor to give more room.
Alistair’s particular car is number 131 of 385 LHD ‘bonnet catch’ convertibles built in June 1961 and originally delivered to New York. Fortunately, this Jaguar much of its life in California and was sniffed out by Queenstown car-buyer Lex Emslie, who has sourced many cars from overseas.
“He was very clever at doing his homework and knowing what he was buying,” says Alistair. “I don’t think the seller realised it was such an old one.”
It has some interesting ownership history too. Apparently, it was owned by Elizabeth Montgomery who starred in the classic ‘60’s sitcom Bewitched, although Alistair says he can’t verify this. When Alistair took delivery of the car at his property in Ettrick in Central Otago in March 1993 it arrived as a body tub and a whole lot of cardboard boxes of parts stripped off it by the previous owner. “I think he just became overwhelmed by the enormity of the task,” says Alistair. “You do have to be half mad to complete the job, otherwise you would just walk away.” Fortunately, for Alistair, the tub was near perfect with no rust, and although the rest was in pieces there was remarkably little missing. He set about putting it all back together again, describing it as being “just like a big Meccano set”.
Alistair entrusted E-type expert Ray Larsen with the bonnet because it is so important to get right, but tackled most of the other work himself.
“The engine had already been reconditioned very well going by the way it runs,” says Alistair. That left him to concentrate on sorting out the gearbox, suspension and other mechanical parts, as well as converting it from LHD to RHD. The interior was done using a trim kit that came with the car and Alistair sourced a new hood from England, which fits very well.
Alistair had the car up and running, although uncompleted, after about five years and eventually got it to the point where he could register it in 2002. The only change since has been to go from a 3.30 to a 2.88 differential — which gives it much longer legs. This is useful because E-types never came with an overdrive. “It is now much quieter and seems a great deal less fussy,” he says.
The experience certainly hasn’t put him off. In fact, Alistair has now given up apple growing to become a EDWARD TURNER Edward Turner joined the ranks of motorcycle manufacturer Ariel in 1927 at the age of 26 and was quickly involved in the development of the famous Ariel Square Four. Turner soon rose through the ranks to become Chief Designer in 1932 and when the company bought Triumph in 1936 he was put in charge.
He quickly swung around the fortunes of the company, producing some notable motorcycles including the Speed Twin, which arrived on the scene in 1937.
Its vertical-twin engine provided the basis for Triumph units for decades to come and knowledge gleaned from its development found its way into Daimler’s SP250 V8.
When BSA bought Triumph in 1951 Turner was appointed Managing Director of Automotive Division, which looked after the motorcycle side of the business and, of course, Daimler.
After Jaguar’s takeover in 1960 Turner was often called upon as a consultant, but according to Brian Long’s book Daimler V8 SP250, he and Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons did not enjoy a good working relationship.
Turner eventually retired in 1964. By that stage the fate of the SP250 was long since sealed, although his V8 masterpiece still lived on in Daimler’s Jaguar-bodied V8 saloon. professional car restorer. When you visit his workshop you never know whether you’ll find him working on — maybe a Fergusson tractor or something like an Iso Rivolta. Certainly, the standard of work on the E-type, which placed well in the last NZCC/Meguiar’s Restoration of the Year Award says a lot about his abilities.
Neighbourly rivalry
Driving these two sports cars back to back was an interesting experience. While the E-type undoubtedly looks the more modern of the two cars, both have a distinctly old-fashioned feel when driven on the road. For the Jaguar, this mostly stems from the Moss gearbox — which does not like to be hurried through its gears — and its heavy steering. Interestingly, the SP250 displays almost the same problems; it’s four-speed gearbox — a Daimler-produced copy of the Triumph TR2 ‘box — is as slow and ponderous as the Moss ‘box and care needs to be taken when using its fragile first gear. The SP250’s steering is also less than perfect but, like the Jaguar’s, only becomes a real handful around town.
Having said that, the E-type still feels as if a whole generation separates it from the SP250 — an advantage gained from Jaguar using stiffer, semi-monocoque body construction as opposed to the Daimler’s traditional separate chassis. Combined an independent rear-end, this allows the Jaguar to consistently out-handle the Daimler. Not that the SP250 is a bad handler, its a lot less happier over broken, undulating roads, but very rewarding to drive fast — if you like tail-out cornering.
The Jaguar absolutely wins the day in terms of exterior styling with a body design that is universally recognized as being one of the most beautiful. By contrast, the SP250’s styling is less cohesive — but it’s certainly as dramatic, in a different way, as the E-type. The Jaguar also has the edge when it comes to cabin design, with its interior setting standards that the more traditional Daimler cannot match. However, the SP250’s driving position is rather better than the cramped E-type.
There is little doubt that both these cars feature a classic power train. The Jaguar’s twin-cam six certainly has the edge in sophistication — and, once extended, its really does snarl like a big cat. But the Turner-designed Daimler V8 is an absolute jewel of an engine — and sounds lovely as well.
This all makes a final decision extremely difficult. The E-type — an absolute motoring icon — would be hard to rule out of the equation, but the SP250 — such an individual-looking sports car — has a charm all its own. During their production runs, both these cars ended up being close neighbours. I’d like an example of both in my home garage — the E-type for its gorgeous looks, the SP250 for its gorgeous engine.
EDWARD TURNER
Edward Turner joined the ranks of motorcycle manufacturer Ariel in 1927 at the age of 26 and was quickly involved in the development of the famous Ariel Square Four. Turner soon rose through the ranks to become Chief Designer in 1932 and when the company bought Triumph in 1936 he was put in charge.
He quickly swung around the fortunes of the company, producing some notable motorcycles including the Speed Twin, which arrived on the scene in 1937. Its vertical-twin engine provided the basis for Triumph units for decades to come and knowledge gleaned from its development found its way into Daimler’s SP250 V8.
When BSA bought Triumph in 1951 Turner was appointed Managing Director of Automotive Division, which looked after the motorcycle side of the business and, of course, Daimler.
After Jaguar’s takeover in 1960 Turner was often called upon as a consultant, but according to Brian Long’s book Daimler V8 SP250, he and Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons did not enjoy a good working relationship. Turner eventually retired in 1964. By that stage the fate of the SP250 was long since sealed, although his V8 masterpiece still lived on in Daimler’s Jaguar-bodied V8 saloon.
1960 DAIMLER SP250
Engine: 90-degree V8
Capacity: 2547cc
Bore/stroke: 3-inch x 2.75-inch
Valves pushrod ohv
Compression 8.2:1
Max power 140bhp (104kW) @ 5800rpm
Max torque 155lb/ft (210Nm) @ 3,600rpm
Fuel system twin SU
Transmission Triumph-derived four-speed, manual
Brakes disc/disc
Suspension Front independent coil, rear; half elliptics
Rear axle hypoid bevel
Steering cam and lever
Tyres 5.50 x 15
Ratio 3.58:1
DIMENSIONS
Width 1667mm
Height 1288mm
Overall Length 4115mm
Wheelbase 2359mm
Weight 1070kg
Track F/R 1282/1231mm
PERFORMANCE
Max speed 120mph (195kph)
0-60mph 9.7 seconds
1/4 mile 17.2 seconds
Economy 32.8mpg
1961 E-TYPE ROADSTER
Engine in-line six
Capacity 3781cc
Bore/stroke 87mm x 106mm
Valves dohc
Compression 9:1
Max power 265bhp (198kW) @ 5400rpm
Max torque 283lb/ft (383Nm) @ 4000rpm
Fuel system triple SU
Transmission four-speed manual
Brakes disc/disc
Suspension Front independent by wishbones and torsion bars Rear independent with dual coils
Rear axle Salisbury hypoid with Powr-Lok LSD
Steering rack and pinion
Tyres 6.40×15 Dunlop RS5
DIMENSIONS
Width 1641mm
Height 1205mm
Overall Length 4500mm
Wheelbase 2462mm
Weight 1219kg
Track F/R 1282/1282mm
PERFORMANCE
Max speed 149mph (240kph)
0-60mph 7.1 seconds
1/4 mile 15 seconds
Economy 20mpg
