GO
GoAutoLogo
MENU

Make / Model Search

Jaguar - S-Type - roadster

Jaguar S-Type (X200 S-Type)

X200 S-Type

Make: Jaguar

Model: S-Type

Released: Jan 1970

Discontinued: Jul 2002

Jaguar logo1 Mar 1999

By CHRIS HARRIS

IN the middle of last century Jaguar seized the public’s imagination with instant classics like the XK, E-Type and Mark II.

But not all of the British marque’s models were instant classics.

The 1964-1969 S-Type/420, for instance, was an unhappy hybrid of 1959’s beautiful Mark II and ‘62’s dowdy Mark 10 sedans.

Thirty-five years later Jaguar, Ford-owned since 1990, attempted to tackle the BMW 5 Series set with another S-Type lash-up.

This time the 1999 edition mixed American Ford with British Jaguar engineering clothed in heavy-handed retro clothing, and has a fraternal twin in the US known as the Lincoln LS.

Predictably, against such sophisticated competition, this rear-drive sedan’s sales never reached expectations.

Released locally in March 1999, the S-Type Series-1 was offered in four guises – V6, Sport V6, SE V6 and SE V8.

The V6 featured here proved more popular, motivated by a 3.0-litre twin-cam 24-valve motor managing 179kW of power at 6800rpm and 300Nm of torque at 4500rpm. In comparison the 209kW/390Nm 4.0-litre V8 produces 209kW and 390Nm.

Jaguar offered two five-speed gearboxes – an electronically controlled automatic and a rare manual in the Sport.

With either transmission, V6 progress is always smooth but never scintillating – the corollary of the fat cat’s 1.7-tonne mass.

Reviews

When it was new

Latest reviews

Motor industry news

GoAutoNews is Australia’s number one automotive industry journal covering the latest news, future and new model releases, market trends, industry personnel movements, and international events.

Catch up on all of the latest industry news with this week's edition of GoAutoNews
Click here