Jaguar S-Type Range

Jaguars S-TYPE May Have Traded On Its Retro Influenced Styling But Even This Design Philosophy Can Benefit From A Nip And Tuck At Times. Andy Enright Reports On The Latest Version

Many commentators on car design have observed that retro styling only has a short shelf life. Once youve raided the corporate heirlooms, the theory goes, youre then stuck when it comes to making updates and keeping the looks fresh. Jaguar would probably contend with that premise. The current S-TYPE retains its predecessors basic silhouette but tidies up the detailing with some elan.

Build
Comfort
Depreciation
Economy
Equipment
Handling
Insurance
Performance
Styling
Value

Although its been with us since 1999 and has mopped up some respectable sales, the S-TYPE was in need of a mild nip and tuck to keep it from looking an anachronism amongst some resolutely modern rivals. The underpinnings of the S-TYPE got a major overhaul back in 2002 which made it a far more dynamically capable car, then in 2004, a raft of tweaks to the exterior styling and the cabin made the S-TYPE more desirable than ever. The latest round of revisions was more circumspect, all models received the sporty bumper and mesh grille from the S-TYPE R along with the six-speed automatic transmission, rear parking assist, leather seats and a leather steering wheel. View the current car in isolation and many will be left scratching their heads wondering where the differences are.

Line one up next to pre04 models, however, and the changes become instantly apparent. The front end looks a good deal sleeker and more elegant. As designer Ian Callum notes, "Too much detailing becomes too confusing, with no focal point. The car has a focal point and its clear what that is the front grille and twin headlamps. But to make it work, everything around that focus has to be as simple as possible."

"The interior benefits from a slightly more contemporary style and improved practicality"

Weight distribution is helped by an aluminium bonnet that replaces the previous steel item. Theres a crisper V-shape to the bonnet too, drawing the eye towards the neater grille. The front bumper is deeper and the air intakes and fog lamps are a little more aggressive. One of the horizontal swage lines on the cars side has been toned down to emphasise the swooping window line.

This in turn gives the rear of the car a visual lift, making the original cars rather droopy bottom look slightly perter. Sales of the S-TYPE slumped when the smaller X-TYPE was introduced, but picked up thereafter. Today, the mainstream range is refreshingly simple, the 3.0-litre V6 petrol variants sits below the 400bhp 4.

2-litre R model at the top of the line-up, and theres also a 2.7-litre V6 diesel to consider. The six-speed ZF automatic transmission is now standard with all engine choices and its a superlative unbit, slurring changes with buttery smoothness when dawdling along and firing them with staccato urgency when you bury the throttle.The clever Adaptive Restraint Technology System (ARTS) continues, and the latest S-TYPE features dual stage front airbags and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC).

Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) is fitted to all models as standard. The 240bhp 3.0-litre AJ-V6, remains as fuel efficient as ever, priced from £29,085: you should be able to achieve over 25mpg in normal use. This unit will suit the executive wafter while the supercharged 4.2-litre V8 version will let you take the fight to cars like the Audi S6 and the Mercedes E-Class AMG. This 400bhp S-TYPE R makes sixty from rest in just 5.

3 seconds. The diesel S-TYPE is a massive car for Jaguar an on paper it looks like a winner, especially in Euro IV-compatible form. 206bhp, 435Nm maximum torque and 0-60mph in 8.1s are the figures that matter.

As before, prices though hardly cheap look affordable when pitched against prestigious opposition and equipment levels continue to shade German rivals. All models get automatic dual-zone climate control, 60/40 split-folding rear seats, a 140-watt sound system (or better), alloy wheels and the usual complement of front and side airbags. The 3.0 V6 and 2.

7D engines are offered in Spirit, XS and SE guises while the 4.2-litre supercharged unit is reserved for the R. Although the series of ultra-subtle styling revisions to the S-TYPE havent swung too many undecided buyers, reasonable sales figures suggest that Jaguar may not be overly concerned. Love it or hate it, whats not up for debate is the fact that the S-TYPE is today a better car than ever.



FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Jaguar S-TYPE range
PRICES: £29,085-£45,090 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 14E-18E
CO2 EMISSIONS: 179-314g/km
PERFORMANCE: [3.0 V6 man] 0-60mph 7.5s / Max Speed 145mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [3.0 V6 man] (urban) 18.5mpg / (extra urban) 35.1mpg / (combined) 26.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS, ARTS safety system
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4861/1819/1444