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2005 Jaguar S-Type Mid-Size Luxury Sedan
Jaguar S-Type takes another leap forward
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New Car Review of the 2005 Jaguar S-Type Mid-Size Luxury Sedan
Base MSRP Range: $44,230 - $59,330
Base Invoice Range: $40,250 - $53,991
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MSRP As Tested: $55,295.
Versions: S-Type 3.0, S-Type 4.2, S-Type 4.2 VDP, S-Type R.
Vehicle Category: Mid-Size Luxury Sedan
Engine Location: Front Engine
Drive Wheels: Rear-Wheel Drive.
Standard Engine: 3.0-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 24-valves, V-6, 235 â€' horsepower at 6800 rpm and 216 lb-ft torque at 4100 rpm.
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 18/26.
Optional Engine as Tested: 4.2-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 32-valves, V-8, 294 â€' horsepower at 6000 rpm and 303 lb-ft torque at 4100 rpm.
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 18/28.
Optional “R†Engine: 4.2-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 32-valves, V-8, 390 â€' horsepower at 6100 rpm and 399 lb-ft torque at 3500 rpm.
Transmission: Six-speed automatic.
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 17/24.
Standard Safety Features: Driver and passenger airbags, Front side airbags, Curtain side airbags,, Four-wheel anti-lock brake system, Antiskid system, Rear-obstacle-detection system, Emergency inside trunk release, Emergency break assist.
Competition: Acura RL, Audi A6, Infiniti G35, Lexus ES 330, Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
When a car looks as good as the Jaguar S-Type, event the smallest hint of a styling change can be scary.
That's why I didn't know what to expect from the latest S-Type, which was freshened for the 2005 model year. Sandwiched neatly in Jaguar's sedan lineup between the low-end X-Type and high-end XJ, the svelte S-Type has arguably been the company's best looking car since it was introduced in 1999.
And -- thank goodness -- it's still a looker today.
Instead of totally re-working the body, Jaguar's designers made the right choice by keeping the sedan's styling generally intact. It has the same sporty roofline, upscale image, and sumptuously curvy nose as the previous generation.
Well, almost. Virtually all the body panels were reshaped in some way, but the changes are subtle. It has a slightly more taut, athletic, simple look now, and you have to examine it closely to see the differences.
On the S-Type's retro styled front end -- the part of the car that makes it stand out from every other vehicle on the road -- there's now a carefully sculpted 'V' in a new aluminum hood that draws the eye toward an austere grille. The grille is new, along with simpler front bumpers, chrome trim, rear fenders and trunk lid.
Jaguar's designers deserve applause for taking an already great-looking car and making it look even better. That's hard to do, but they pulled it off.
Aside from the new body style, the S-Type's interior also sees some changes for 2005. There's a new, range-topping VDP Edition that uses burl walnut trim, soft grain leather and heated seats with contrast piping for classic British elegance.
For those more interested in sleek, high-tech appearances, the S-Type is now also available with a completely wood-free interior, a first for a production Jaguar sedan. The optional aluminum dash finish compliments the Sport and R models, allowing buyers to choose a more "technical" finish if they want it -- even if that seems blasphemous in a Jaguar.
All new S-Types have a revised instrument layout featuring round chronograph dials and two message centers, which now offer clock, odometer, trip and warning information at all times.
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