Jaguar S-Type (1999)
The Jaguar S-Type is an executive car which was made by Jaguar Cars from 1999 until 2007 with a facelift in 2004. It is a four-door saloon car with a three-box design and a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout.
The S-Type debuted at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show and revived a nameplate which Jaguar had previously used from 1963 until 1968. Produced at a time when Jaguar was owned by the Ford Motor Company, the S-Type shares its DEW98 platform with the Lincoln LS and the Ford Thunderbird">Ford Motor Company">Ford Thunderbird. Following its discontinuation it was replaced by the Jaguar XF, which uses a modified version of the same platform.
Overview
After being privatised in 1984, Jaguar had been developing a smaller saloon to complement the XJ6 by the early 1990s, but these plans were axed following its takeover by Ford in 1989, only to resurface within a few years.The S-Type was produced at Jaguar's Castle Bromwich facility in Birmingham, England. The car was styled by Geoff Lawson in 1995 and is based on the Jaguar DEW platform/Ford DEW platform, shared with the Lincoln LS and Ford Thunderbird. It was unveiled at the Birmingham International Motor Show on 20 October 1998.
The first S-Types are distinguished by a U-shaped centre console and optional touchscreen navigation system in the 2003 and later models. The traditional leaping jaguar bonnet mascot was optional and is approved by the US and EU standards and breaks away in the case of an accident. Subsequent models have the Jaguar logo incorporated within the radiator grille and a more traditional 'looped' styling for the centre console. In Australia, the "leaper" bonnet mascot did not become available until 2004.
The supercharged S-Type R joined the lineup in 2002, and the hope was that it would compete with BMW's M5 and the Mercedes E55 AMG. The R was powered by the newly revised hand-built 4.2-Litre V8 with an Eaton M112 supercharger, producing and could accelerate from 0 to in 5.3 seconds. The top speed was limited to 155 mph. It included 18-inch alloy wheels, wire-mesh grille, and monochromatic paint. The R also has a rear apron, side-skirts, and front apron with built-in fog-lamps, a rear spoiler, a brace located near the rear subframe, and R badging on the boot lid and both front wings.
The Jaguar S-Type R is able to produce an extra 20 bhp with a modified pulley.
Also added on the 2003 model was an electronic parking-brake paddle-switch that replaced the conventional manually operated lever for the rear brakes. For the 2003 model year, the Jaguar S-type was given a six-speed, automatic ZF 6HP26 transmission as well as a revised 3.0-litre V6 engine with versus for the 1999 to 2002 models. The 2003 model featured a revised dash, centre console, and a grille with the Jaguar badge to give the vehicle a more Jaguar-like appearance, and a flip-open key was devised for the ignition.
A minor facelift on the 2004 model year featured redesigned front and rear aprons, a slightly modified grille, remodelled rear light clusters, an aluminium bonnet, and a new 2.7-litre V6 diesel engine with. The windscreen washer jets were incorporated into the windscreen wiper arms. There were no changes made to the cabin interior. 2006 to 2007 models featured no fog lights.
There were 291,386 S-Types produced during its production run of 1999 to 2007.
Powertrain
The S-Type was powered by a variety of petrol and diesel engines. At launch, the V8 S-Type was powered by the 4.0L Jaguar AJ-V8 engine, the capacity of which was increased to 4.2L for the 2003 model year. Variants of this engine are used in Ford, Lincoln, Land Rover/Range Rover and Aston Martin models. The V6 petrol engines used were originally conceived by Porsche for use in a replacement 944, before being picked up by Ford to be developed into the Ford Duratec unit which is used extensively throughout the Ford model range. With the Jaguar 3.0L version benefitting from Jaguar designed heads, variable valve timing and an additional 30bhp over the original Ford Duratec. The 2.5 L V6 engine was not available for vehicles exported to the United States and Canada. Diesel engines are the Ford/Peugeot 2.7L HDi Ford AJD-V6/PSA DT17 which is used in a number of Ford, Peugeot, Citroën, Jaguar and Land Rover models.From model years 1999 to 2002, the rear-wheel-drive S-Type was equipped with either a five-speed manual or a five-speed J-Gate Ford 5R55N transmission. From 2003, the S-Type was produced with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a six-speed J-Gate that allows automatic manual gear selection. The 2004 diesel saw the introduction of a 6-speed manual transmission; it was also available with the six-speed J-Gate automatic transmission.