Retro Elegance

The Age

Wednesday May 2, 2007

David Morley

David Morley enjoys the pace and grace of a throwback to 1960s luxury sports cars.

FOR a car that harks back to a classic model, the Jaguar S-Type is remarkable for being so distinct.

The inspiration was the original Jaguar Mark 2 of the 1960s. It was a svelte, proper sporting luxury car with pedigree. The Mark 2 was also fabulous-looking, with plenty of chrome and sensuous curves.

But thanks to Ford's stewardship of the brand from the time the S-Type was produced, many of the individual components have more of a blue-oval feel.

The engines - a 3.0-litre V6 and a 4.0-litre V8 - were hoisted from Ford's catalogue and the independent rear suspension bears more than a passing resemblance to the sophisticated (and very effective) set-up in the AU Falcon.

Yet look at the S-Type as a whole and the spectre of the original Mark 2 Jaguar screams at you.

The rounded grille, tapering rear section and sweeping roofline recall the Jaguar Mark 2 but, like all retro designs, simply recalling an older style is not enough in a modern vehicle. It's fortunate, then, that the S-Type actually has substance.

Two main versions were offered and, just to prove that the new car was no clone of the original Mark 2 mechanically, there wasn't an in-line six-cylinder to be seen. The main event was a four-litre V8 with quad camshafts, 32 valves and a power output of 209 kW.

It was smooth, potent, sophisticated and suited the car's luxury pretensions. It was available only as a five-speed automatic - hardly a barrier to the type of buyers who were likely to be lining up for it.

But more interesting was the lower-spec version of the S-Type, which got a 3.0-litre V6. It made rather less peak power with 179 kW and it wasn't as silky smooth as the V8.

But it felt pretty good, especially if you opted for the optional five-speed manual gearbox, because you could easily extract all of the engine's performance and make the most of the car's balance.

The five-speed featured good shift action with plenty of accuracy and enough refinement to make it worth shifting your own ratios.

Manual-gearbox Jaguars have been rare in recent decades, so the S-Type V6 Sport was a breath of fresh air. It was good enough to make the V6 manual our pick of the S-Type crop, not because the automatic V8 is off the pace, but because the manual is so much fun.

The automatic had the maligned J-gate shifter, which doesn't match every driver's preferences and can seem a bit ungainly.

The driveline was aided by a chassis that exhibited classic rear-wheel-drive characteristics. At the front, the steering feedback and feel was vastly better than a lot of cars the size and price of the S-Type.

It was a great long-distance car with the Jaguar trademark of a supple, luxurious ride.

Inside, the S-Type continued the retro theme with a broad slab of a dashboard finished in real timber-veneer trim. You also got plenty of leather and chrome touches on door handles and some switchgear.

But the rear was small and awkward to access and the front seats were also a bit small. The other accommodation issue was the shallowness of the side glass, which could have taller people almost peering out from under the roofline. In darker colours, the S-Type interior can seem a little claustrophobic.

But aside from those niggles, the S-Type really is a luxury car with a fair bit of character and personality.

"Pace, grace and space" was once Jaguar's catchcry. Well, two out of three ain't bad.

NUTS'N'BOLTS

ENGINE 3.0-litre V6/4.0-litre V8

TRANSMISSION Five-speed manual/five-speed auto

FUEL ECONOMY (city/highway) 12.5/7.0 L/100 km (V6) 12.5/8.0 L/100 km (V8)

SAFETY RATING 4/5

howsafeisyourcar.com.au

INSURANCE $1209 (RACV, assumes 40-year-old, rating-one driver, medium-risk suburb, $500 excess)

OUR RATING 3/5.5

LIKES

? Styling sets the S-Type apart.

? V8 engine smooth and powerful.

? V6 with manual transmission is great and more fuel-efficient than V8.

? Plenty of luxury, enough safety.

? Good steering feel and accuracy.

DISLIKES

? Some styling details; a bit twee.

? Rear access limited.

? Front seats a tiny bit narrow.

NEED TO KNOW

? Some early V8 engines had cylinder-bore wear problems.

? Make sure all complicated electrics work properly.

? Vibration through the body under acceleration is an indication of wear in the rear driveshafts or suspension bushes.

COMPETITORS

? BMW 5-Series - The high-flyer's first choice. The well-built 5-Series is a competent, flattering drive. Also available in V6 and V8. 4/5

? Lexus GS300 - Beautifully built, interesting styling with a sweeping roofline and sumptuous interior. Chassis isn't up to the standard of the rest of the car but the engine is a sweetie. 3/5

? Honda Legend - V6, front-wheel-drive and a big, well-built body. Doesn't handle or drive as well as it should but plenty of equipment. 2/5.5

© 2007 The Age

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