In 1963, the British car manufacturer Jaguar announced that they would be producing a sedan to enter the market above the slot, which is currently occupied by the previously popular Mark II. The following year, the company released the first Jaguar S-Type, equipped with Jaguar XK engines. Although originally intended to replace the Mark II in the Jaguar line, the strong selling of the Mark II forced the company to move the S-Type to another segment. In 1968, just four years after its introduction to the market, the Jaguar S-Type was discontinued when the larger Jaguar XJ6 replaced it in the Jaguar lineup. After a long break, the S-type was revived in 2000 by the Ford Motor Company, which currently owns the British brand.
The restored S-Type initially shared its platform with the now defunct Lincoln LS. The S-Type line was expanded in 2003 with the supercharged S-Type R. The R-type version of the Jaguar S-type is considered the most powerful S-Type in production. The mid-size luxury car with the emblem of the R is powered by a 4-liter supercharged V8 engine.
This V8 engine is capable of producing up to 390 horsepower. The company claims that this power is enough to advance the S-Type R to 60 miles per hour from a pause in just 5.3 seconds or 5.6 seconds to increase the scale from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour. Some of its most noticeable features in comparison with the usual S-Type are the presence of 18-inch cast alloy wheels and a wire mesh grill. The “R” badge is also displayed on the trunk lid and both front wings of the vehicle.
In addition to good looks and a powerful engine, the Jaguar S-Type R is also equipped with advanced features such as Dynamic Stability Control. This feature is also called electronic stability control and is used to improve the ability to drive a vehicle. This feature reduces the risk that a person will lose control of the vehicle by automatically adjusting the vehicle at the request of the road. The system basically evaluates the driver’s response to the vehicle’s response. If the system feels that too much energy is flowing into the wheel or a set of wheels, it applies the brakes to that particular wheel or wheels to maintain the balance of the car. In addition to this feature, the Jaguar S-Type R is also equipped with an active suspension system that controls the performance and response of various suspension components, such as the Jaguar strut, shock absorber and the like.
The supercharged version of the R Jaguar S-Type is also equipped with an adaptive cruise control system. This feature uses laser or radar technology to maintain a predetermined distance between the car and the vehicle in front of it. This technology is automatically activated after reaching a given speed. When the system feels an impending collision with another vehicle or any object in front of it, the system activates the brakes. This feature is already used by high-class cars, and the popularity of this feature has led to the creation of cost-effective laser-based adaptive cruise control systems. The safety this feature offers to consumers is complemented by the luxurious interior that the S-Type R has.
Plush leather seats are standard features for the S-Type R along with a wooden gear shift knob and rear canopy. Seats are adjustable. The driver's seat can be changed in 16 ways, and the passenger has 12 ways. These seats complement the adequate interior space of the S-Type R. Both front and rear seats provide ample legroom and free space.
The Jaguar S-Type can again go to the shelves, as the Jaguar has announced that they will replace it with a new model, which will be known as the Jaguar XF. The conceptual model for the production of the XF was presented at the beginning of this year at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), where the XF immediately attracted the attention of many sports car enthusiasts. Whether XF will bring Jaguar to profitability is a question that will be answered in the near future. Ford, the parent of Jaguar, is currently losing money as the British brand continues its downward slide. Despite the poor performance of Jaguar in the market, Ford chief executive Alan Mulally said they will not sell the Jaguar brand. This means that Ford will continue to deal with the development and release of the upcoming Jaguar XF.
