Thursday 27th August 2015

Jaguar S-Type R: Spotted

Is it time to begin appreciating the S-Type R?

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It says something of Jaguar's 21st century rejuvenation that we kind of expect the cars to be good now. When Jaguar says the F-Pace will be best in class dynamically you suspect it probably will be, or at least very close. This isn't just backing the home team bias either, with cars like the XE, XF and XJ really proving that Jaguar does ride and handling very well indeed.

Ooh, moody

The S-Type R was a surprise because it was dynamically talented at a time when Jaguar wasn't renowned for it. This was before the new XJ of 2003 and of course the Mk2 XK and XF too. Cars like the X-Type and XK weren't bad, but neither was a byword for great handling.

The S-Type R was different though. Reading through old road tests throws up reams of praise, the steering and handling balance in particular drawing many plaudits. Even as it was on the way out in 2007 it was competitive in group tests as the dynamics helped to offset the dated cabin and styling. It delivered on the promise of the S-Type to create a genuinely talented Jaguar sports saloon for the 21st century. It just didn't look like one.

There was a big problem facing the S-Type too: the E39 M5. To many the very finest of the M5s, it offered a more modern appearance and a slightly sharper drive than the Jaguar. There was the manual gearbox too, which will have appealed to some. That's before any alternatives from AMG, Audi or Australia are mentioned too...

Drives better than it looks!

It would be boring if we all liked the same thing though, and there's something quite tempting about the old Jag seen here. Perhaps it's the nice pics. There are in fact only four 400hp S-Types in the classifieds, all of them between £9,000 and £12,500; not the time for cheap ones at the moment! This car has low miles, one owner and is described as "immaculate".

However. What if immaculate condition isn't an issue but the idea of a Jaguar V8 saloon still appeals? The highly rated XF SV8 is still depreciating, the very earliest cars with the highest miles now the same money as this S-Type. For another £2K this XF looks fantastic. The S-Type's job gets harder still!

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JAGUAR S-TYPE R
Engine: 4,196cc supercharged V8
Transmission: 6-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 406@6,100rpm
Torque (lb ft): 408@3,500rpm
MPG: 22
CO2: 314g/km
First registered: 2002
Recorded mileage: 34,250
Price new: £45,090 (2007)
Yours for: £11,995

View the original advert here.

[anonymous-user]

I'll go out on a limb and say the final facelifted cars from 2004 onwards were actually quite handsome beasts. It's amazing how a few changes improved the saggy tail and the pinched front quite dramatically.

I'd still buy an XJR instead.