|
THE MOST POWERFUL JAGUAR EVER...AT A GIVE-AWAY PRICE!!!!
The 2003 S-Type is highlighted by a new R edition that packs a 400-horsepower supercharged engine. Priced at a lofty $62,400, the S-Type R is the most powerful Jaguar sedan ever offered.
The 2003 S-Type sedans are equipped with approximately 70 percent new content and an all-new interior. Underneath the car is a new rear subframe with a revised rear suspension that includes retuned springs, dampers, bushings and stabilizer bars. Aerodynamic improvements include spats for the front wheels, new mirrors, window shields and a revised seal at the top of the windshield. A touchscreen multimedia display is available, and the Jaguar voice system now works with 156 commands. A new electronic parking brake has been installed.
“Jaguar is very passionate,” says Simon Sproule, Jaguar’s vice president of communications. His words undoubtedly echo the feelings of countless owners of the British marque. More than 90 percent of S-Type buyers have come from other brands and have not owned other Jaguars. The British automaker believes consumers switch to the Jaguar brand because of its spirit and the car’s refinement and performance.
“It’s a special car,” says Mike O’Driscoll, president of Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover North America. “It’s the car you buy when you win the lottery, when you get a promotion, when you celebrate an anniversary or a birthday.”
Exterior
Unlike the more familiar Jaguar grille on other models, a mesh grille leads off the R edition. This high-performance model can also be identified by its distinctive red “R” logo. Zeus wheels on the R sedan hold 18-inch tires and halt with Brembo brakes, and it comes equipped with a spoiler at the rear. Options include a power moonroof which comes as standard equipment on V-8 models and xenon high-intensity-discharge headlights that are standard on the R edition.
Interior
All S-Type models seat five occupants in redesigned interiors with a fold-down, 60/40-split rear seat. The R edition features 16-way adjustable sport seats. New fascias and door casings are finished in gray bird’s-eye maple veneers. Standard equipment includes an electrically adjustable steering column, heated mirrors, automatic dual-zone climate control, a wood and leather steering wheel, and power windows.
The R edition comes equipped with a premium sound system, heated front seats and a DVD-based navigation system; those features are optional on other models.
Under the Hood
The supercharged edition develops 400 hp. Models with these engines are equipped with a ZF six-speed-automatic transmission. Jaguar claims the new six-speed unit delivers greater economy and performance. With its supercharged engine, Jaguar says the S-Type R can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds.
Safety
Side-impact and side curtain-type airbags, traction control and antilock brakes are standard on all S-Type models.
Driving Impressions
The latest S-Type is civilized and refined, and it delivers excellent performance. The lush supercharger whine when accelerating in the R edition is enough to warrant the extra dollars. This model soars off the line in a wholly linear, swift fashion, which is a truly exhilarating experience. Handling is tauter, the brakes are more compelling, and it hangs even tighter to the pavement.
|
