The 3.0-liter V6 engine is smooth and delivers plenty of power for most drivers. We found it offers good power for passing. Floor it at 50 mph in fifth gear and in a heartbeat the six-speed automatic smoothly downshifted to second gear at 5500 rpm, surging without lurching. Jaguar says the S-Type 3.0 can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds. The V6 was smooth and civilized when cruising, and noise from the engine was isolated. Under hard acceleration, however, the sound it made reminded us that it's a Ford Duratec V6.
The 2005 S-Type 3.0-liter we drove did not have the Sport package with its firmer suspension, but we still found the cornering to be exceptional. It felt a little squishy when driven hard on a winding road, but cornering was relatively flat (the car didn't lean a lot), and grip was very good. Add in the Dynamic Stability Control, and it's hard to get into trouble.
The S-Type rides smoothly and is nicely damped. Jaguar revised the suspension for 2005 to make the ride a bit smoother, but it's still tuned more for handling than a soft ride. Driving through the Texas hill country outside Austin, I found it still jiggles a bit from side to side on bumpy rural roads, a little more than I would have liked. And you can hear the hiss of the tires. When asked about this, a spokesman said Jaguar does not build Buicks.
The 4.2-liter V8 engine delivers truly spirited performance with strong low-rpm torque for quicker acceleration. Jaguar says the S-Type 4.2 can accelerate form 0 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, which is quite quick. The 4.2 feels relaxed and responsive around town and cruising on the highway, but delivers spirited performance when driving quickly on back roads. The 4.2 V8 generates 86 percent of its maximum torque at just 1500 rpm for greater flexibility around town. This a very strong car by any measure.
The 4.2 offers a firm ride. There is some road vibration on badly rippled roads, but it smoothes out on smoother roads. The 4.2 is quiet, with some wind noise at high speeds. It's stable at high speeds with precise, linear steering that makes the driver feel part of the car. Handling is firm without being too harsh. Jaguar's S-Type is not as stiff as the BMW 5 Series. It is the type of car that inspires confidence for those who enjoy driving without being a chore for those who do not. It felt wonderful when driving hard on narrow, winding roads. In short, it's a wonderful automobile, very pleasant.
The S-Type R offers fantastic acceleration performance. Jaguar says it can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds with a top speed electronically limited to 155 mph. We could clearly hear the whine from supercharger when hard on the gas. Hot rodders love it, but we wonder whether it would become tiresome. Superchargers deliver better low-end torque and more linear response than turbochargers and the R model offers significantly more torque than the normally aspirated 4.2. It's very responsive at low speeds as well as when being driven hard. Power is very linear. Big race-engineered Brembo brakes are terrific. Handling is superb, with the latest version of Jaguar's CATS as standard equipment (described below). Steering is precise and linear. The R is very stable at high speeds. Handling is very predictable when working the tires. Pushed to the limit, it goes into a four-wheel drift. Yet the ride quality is quite comfortable. This balance between athletic handling and a smooth ride gives the S-Type R a dual personality. Most of the time, it's a relaxing, refined luxury sedan, but stand on it and it acts like a sports car, agile, quick, fun. It's easy to drive and not at all intimidating, as we discovered on some narrow, foggy mountain roads in Spain.
The S-Type uses rear-wheel drive with a fully independent suspension, an appropriate layout for a luxury sports sedan. Though the S-Type shares its basic architecture with the Lincoln LS, though there are many differences particularly on post-2003 models, and the Lincoln and Jaguar are completely different in character, a tribute to the engineers for both cars.
Chassis refinements for 2005 for all models include revised springs and dampers (shocks) and the addition of low-friction ball joints. CATS, DSC and the steering ECU have been retuned as well. Suspensions for the S-Type come in three grades: Comfort, the softest, is standard on the 3.0 and 4.2 models. Sport is firmer and comes on the 3.0 and 4.2 models with the Sport package. R is the stiffest suspension, using a unique CATS calibration and stiffer springs. Each of the three suspensions uses specially tuned dampers (shocks) and anti-roll bars and unique CATS calibrations. CATS, Jaguar's Computer Active Technology Suspension is optional on V6 and V8 models, standard on the R. CATS optimizes ride and handling by using uprated springs to increase roll stiffness and electronically controlled two-stage adaptive dampers (shocks). Accelerometers and a brake sensor send signals to an electronic control unit to dynamically tune the suspension to driving conditions. The result is an optimized balance between ride comfort and handling agility. It's completely automatic and requires no intervention from the driver. We found that CATS does a great job of filtering out road vibration and rough surfaces without isolating the driver from the road. With it, the car feels unflappable in the corners without riding like a race-prepared sports sedan on city streets.
