2004 Jaguar S-Type R Test Drive

The "R" in 2004 Jaguar S-Type R stands for high performance. Prices: US $63,120, Canada $88,950. Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles.

Heritage

Not too many years ago I was fortunate to own, for a brief period, a vintage Jaguar 3.8 4-door sedan, one of the prettiest cars ever made. It was also the design and conceptual inspiration for the current Jaguar S-Type. Thus, I couldn't resist making a comparison between past and present in the course of writing this review. Artistic perception is always a matter of personal taste but Jaguar's designers deserve praise for the appearance of the S-Type, which manages to retain the flavor of the original. Yet this is no retro-car. Those luscious curves are thoroughly modern and give the car real presence. The mesh grille of the 2004 S-Type R combines with eye-catching alloys plus, in our test car, an absolutely gorgeous metallic silver/blue paint called "Zircon."

Interior/Performance

The inside story is even more of a break from the past, regardless of the S-Type's expanse of British leather and wood trim and conventional instrument layout. Whereas the 3.8 presented its controls in at-a-glance simplicity, the new S-Type would leave a 747 pilot confused, even after hours of reading the owner's manual. Mind you, our 2004 model had many more driver options to play with. (Too many, in my opinion, for automobile technology has advanced faster than the human brain, which hasn't made noteable progress in recent centuries.) Performance, however, is a different story. My vintage Jaguar was built around the LeMans-winning, inline double-overhead-cam six that powered most Jags from the day the XK-120 was first introduced in 1947. No slug, the 3.8 would easily top 130 mph, even with its slushy 3-speed automatic. The new S-Type R, by contrast, produces a back-slamming 390 hp from a supercharged 4.2-liter, 32-valve, four-cam V-8. The S-Type R also features an all-new six-speed automatic that shifts so smoothly you'll forget it's there. If you feel a need for involvement, you can flick the lever to the left and change gears manually.

Ride/Handling

Most of our test happened in nasty November weather; rainy streets strewn with fallen leaves. The latter constitute a safety hazard for the way in which they can turn wet pavement into a skating rink. Fortunately Jaguar's Computer Active Technology Suspension (stability control combined with traction control) lent a helping hand whenever excess oversteer or understeer might have found us on the verge of disaster. Not that the old 3.8 wouldn't handle (it won many sedan races in the UK) but in similar circumstances caution was definitely the byword. Braking, too, puts the new S-Type R in the winner's circle. Massive Brembo discs on all four wheels are so powerful that my female passenger was led to comment, "you could get whiplash in this car without ever hitting anything!" Aside from the technology input, I was truly impressed with the cornering ability of the S-Type R, the car gaining immeasurably from stiffer springs and bushings and moderately lowered suspension. The old 3.8 handled better than most sedans of its era but in a face-off with the S-Type R it wouldn't stand a chance.

Summary

Gizmos and gimmicks? "The new Jag comes with a 320-Watt 10-Speaker System, heated front seats, Xenon HID Headlamps with automatic headlamp leveling, and power moonroof with one-touch open/close and anti-trap function." (That's Jaguar marketing lingo, not mine.) The 3.8 came with an engine, steering wheel, and seats for five. The S-Type is best with four souls on board. Luggage room depth is quite adequate but the height is limited by the S-Type's sloping tail. In this instance I'd take style over substance. So which car would I rather own, the 2004 Jaguar S-Type R or the 1961 Jaguar 3.8? Given such a choice, I’d prefer the vintage Jag for its purity of line, superior vision, simplicity of operation, and even the old twin-cam six vs. the new supercharged V-8. The S-Type R is quicker by far, offers much more crash protection, and will appeal to most buyers of high-performance executive sedans. Compared with contemporary competition it’s as good or better than the rest.