The Jaguar S-Type is an executive car manufactured and marketed by the British multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Cars from 1999 to 2007. Jaguar brought back the S-Type moniker for their notchback saloons produced between 1963 and 1968. In 2002 and again in 2004, Jaguar gave the S-Type a minor facelift.
History of the Jaguar S-Type
In the 1990s, after privatizing in 1984, Jaguar worked on a compact saloon to match the XJ6. However, these plans were scrapped following Jaguar's 1989 acquisition by Ford, only to be revived a few years later. Jaguar's S-Type was built at its Castle Bromwich plant in Birmingham, England. Geoff Lawson was responsible for the car's styling in 1995. Ford had turned around Jaguar's fortunes after the company had struggled financially for years. The S-Type was just one aspect of the American automaker's grand plan to bring back the British brand. It first appeared on October 20, 1998, at the Birmingham International Motor Show and hit the market in January 1999. More precisely, the S-Type shared its platform with the Lincoln LS, which is why both vehicles had such a long wheelbase. Jaguar offers two gasoline engines and a 2.7L V-6 turbo-diesel engine co-developed alongside Peugeot for the European market. The S-Type came equipped with either a manual or an automatic transmission, depending on the engine and the target market.
Jaguar S-Type Facelift (2004)
Midway through the S-Type's life cycle, Jaguar updated it to meet Euro 5 standards after it had been on sale for four years. Although the S-Type was a crucial step forward for Jaguar when Ford acquired the company, the car's use of an American base was far removed from the British car's heritage. The adoption of diesel engines also caused much consternation among purists, who had previously been its only audience. However, turbo-diesel engines accounted for more than half of European automobile sales in the 2000s. Under the hood, Ford installed a 2.7L turbo diesel from the Land Rover Discovery and a 2.5L V-6 from the Mondeo.
Price
In 2007, Jaguar retailed the Jaguar S-Type model with a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $64,000, which is about $91,418 in 2022. Additionally, the price for a used Jaguar S-Type ranges from $1,400 to $8,300, depending on the vehicle's condition, mileage, and installed options.
Features of the Jaguar S-Type
Exterior Features
The S-Type R's curved C-pillar and arched rear windscreen, as well as the grille and headlight styling reminiscent of the classic Jaguar Mark 2, are hallmarks of its British design and continue to be a major selling feature. The S-Type R's bodywork has been sculpted to give it a more elegant look while sharing its curvy bodywork with the other S-Type versions. Jaguar also paints the chrome bumper guards, grille surround, and door handles to coincide with the rest of the vehicle for the "R" trim level. The suspension is lowered, attractive 18-inch, five-spoke Vulcan wheels are installed with broad, strong tires, and a small but practical spoiler graces the S-Type R's trunk lid for a sporty appearance.
Interior Features
Once inside, though, the tale changed. The automobile appeared modern yet had familiar Ford controls. The new instrument panel featured square vents.
Jaguar installed a new infotainment system with satellite radio and a color display in the center stack. Jaguar did not change the J-shaped pattern used to select the automatic transmission.
Standard Features
- Anti-lock Disc Brakes (ABS on all wheels)
- 18-Inch Alloy Wheels
- Enhanced Computer Active Technology Suspension (eCATS)
- Stability Control
- Front and Rear Head-Curtain Airbags
- Self-Leveling Xenon Headlamps
- Rain-Sensing Wipers
- Leather Seating Surfaces
- Auto-Dimming Heated Rearview Mirrors
- Heated 16-Way Power Driver's Seat
- 12-Way Power Passenger's Seat
- DVD-Based Navigation
- Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control
- Power Moonroof
- 320-Watt Alpine Audio System
- Power Tilt/Telescoping Steering Wheel
- Power-Adjustable Pedals
- Trunk-Mounted Six-Disc CD Changer
Optional Features
- Radar-Based Adaptive Cruise Control
- Leather Seats
- Contrasting Piping
- Power Rear Sunshade
- Burl Walnut Veneer
- Wood and Leather Steering Wheel
- Side Window Trim
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- 19-Inch Barcelona-Style Wheels
- Two-Tone Interior
Specs and Performance of the Jaguar S-Type
The 4.2L V8 engine in Jaguars is combined with an Eaton supercharger to produce plenty of low-end torque and horsepower without compromising the car's signature smoothness. The Eaton supercharger improves efficiency and production by routing air via two intercoolers before pumping it into the engine's combustion chambers at high pressure. The S-Type's engine has a power of 305 hp (224 kW) @ 6,000 rpm and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) @ 4,100 rpm of torque. You'll be pinned to your seat while the car surges forward at incredible speeds. The S-Type R can sprint from 0-60 mph in 5.3 seconds thanks to its powerful engine, but because it is efficient and reliable, it avoids the gas-guzzler tax. A 5-speed manual or 5-speed J-Gate Ford 5R55N gearbox was available for the rear-wheel drive S-Type between 1999 and 2002. From 2003 onward, the S-Type was available with either a 5-speed manual transmission (Getrag 221) or an automatic manual gear selection, 6-speed J-Gate (ZF 6HP26 transmission). In 2004, a 6-speed manual gearbox was made available for the diesel, joining the 6-speed J-Gate automatic transmission. Dimension-wise, the Jaguar S-Type is 4,913 mm (193.4 in) long, 1,819 mm (71.6 in) wide, and 1,415 mm (55.7 in) high, with a curb weight of 3,968 lbs (1,800 kg).
Release Date
Jaguar Cars first released the Jaguar S-Type at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show, and it was manufactured from 1999 to 2007. The model was discontinued in late 2007 to make way for the new Jaguar XF (2X50).