JAGUAR S-TYPE REVIEWS AND RATINGS

2005 Jaguar S-Type Related Links Get Pricing Get E-mail Updates Consumer Ratings Vehicle Reviews Send a Letter Talk About It
2005 Jaguar S-Type. Five new wheel choices help you tell the players apart. 2005 Jaguar S-Type. All S-Types use the well regarded 6-speed ZF automatic. Related Links Get Pricing Get E-mail Updates Consumer Ratings Vehicle Reviews Send a Letter Talk About It 2005 Jaguar S-Type. Mesh grille is a telltale sign that supercharger lurks inside. $4,000 price rollback on R models gives lux-sport buyers something to think about. 2005 Jaguar S-Type. Compact dimensions, firm suspension and a beautifully responsive driveline make a for a fine road car - made more appealing with its new, $4k price dip. Related Links Get Pricing Get E-mail Updates Consumer Ratings Vehicle Reviews Send a Letter Talk About It 2005 Jaguar S-Type. Cozy, cushy cabin marks all S-Type models. Rear leg room is tight but do-able, if all are tall. Wood-free dash is an option, though why you'd opt out on this is a puzzlement.	Jaguar's classically styled sport sedan was introduced in 1999. The Euro-sized mid-size has sold over 200,000 units worldwide to date, and averages 18,000 U.S. sales yearly. 2003 was a major makeover year for S-Type, with over 70% new componentry. Three versions available for 2005: 3.0 V6, 4.2 V8 and S-Type R. The biggest news for '05 comes on two fronts: a sale on speed and raising the bar on luxury. Outside Subtle changes to bodywork front and rear retain the unique, retro-flavored shape. Rear taillights and trunk lid are new and the redesigned hood is aluminum - less weight, better balance. Bumpers have a cleaner appearance, grilles on all models are wider and sit lower, on the same visual plane as the twin headlights. Rear fender, bumper and trunk lines have been raised to give a bit of a forward push to the resting shape. Five new wheel choices help you tell the players apart. Sport option package cars now have 18" rims, while high lux, VDP cars have 17" multi-spoke "Aurora" alloys (along with chrome door mirror caps and Xenon headlights). As with many Jaguar models, the less chrome they wear, the better they look, and so R cars score the highest curb appeal: clean , classy and purposeful. Inside Newly available VDP edition package ($3,300) is available on 4.2 V8 models, and adds an extra level of luxury. Premium leather hides with contrast piping, deep pile carpeting, heated seats, an electronic sunblind for the backlight and a particularly nice grade of California burl walnut veneer trim. Another interior option (on Sport Package equipped cars and R's) is an aluminum fascia option. A beautifully constructed cabin, mingling leather and wood has long been a hallmark of fine British sport cars, and so a woodless Jaguar seems a bit out of place - like a tuxedo and tennis shoes - but if you prefer to go tree-free, you're now free to test their metal. All models get a revised instrument panel with round dials and twin message centers. A broader palette of interior color and trim options are offered as well. Continental dimensions outside mean less space inside, and six footers front and back will be a tight fit. In all, a cozy, elegant cabin. Functional Engine choices number three. A 3.0 liter, 235 hp, 216 lb. ft. torque V6, with 0-60 capability of 7.5 seconds and a governed top end of 121 mph. Next up is the 4.2 liter 294 hp, 303 lb. ft. of torque V8, good for a 6.2 second 0-60 and 121 mph. Finally, the supercharged 4.2 in R models weighs in with a healthy 390 hp and 399 lb. ft. of torque. Top end is 155 mph, with a 5.3 second time from 0-60. Cat quick, indeed. The 5-speed manual is no longer available on 3.0 liter cars. All S-Types use the well regarded 6-speed ZF automatic. And more is less, at least as it relates to R model prices. With a new sticker of $58,995 - $4,125 lower than last year - the aggressive price point now puts the R nose to nose price-wise with BMW's 545i Sport. This should please everyone, with the possible exception of BMW salesmen and those who bought an R last year. Impressions We spent most of our time alternating between a 4.2 VDP and an S-Type R: plush vs. pace. The former demonstrates Jaguar's trademark supple suspension feel - luxurious, without being flabby, and taut enough to persuade into sporty driving at the drop of a hat. The level of luxury in VDP cars is both seen and felt. Power rolls out easily with the 4.2 liter V8. It runs at a relaxed 2,200 rpm at 70 mph. It's a quiet space, even at speed. And speaking of speed, the S-Type R impresses as a sport tourer supreme. Compact dimensions, firm suspension and a beautifully responsive driveline make a for a fine road car - made more appealing with its new, $4k price dip. The S-Type in general and the R cars in particular may well be Jaguar's most charismatic products. The car's international dimensions feel at home in any environment. The living quarters are well appointed, quality is high and performance ranges from quite satisfactory to stellar. And the look is vintage Jaguar. Numbers & Dollars 2005 XK on sale date: May, 2004. Model / Estimated sales mix / Price S-Type 3.0 V6 / 66% sales / $44,895 S-Type 4.2 V8 / 22% sales / $51,995 S-Type R 4.2 V8 / 12% sales / $58,995 The Competition Audi A6 4.2, Lexus GS 430, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class ---Story by Dan Lyons ---Photos by Dan Lyons © 2004, Dan Lyons, All Rights Reserved.

Source:  ABT