Jaguar S Type

The first car to be developed under Jaguar’s new owners, Ford, the S Type was also the first medium-sized Jaguar since the 1960s. With its retro looks, it continued to invoke old Jaguar loyalties but ultimately it proved to be an important transition to the Jaguar that we know today. In this fascinating book, motoring journalist and Jaguar S Type owner Craig Cheetham takes us from the early plans for Jaguar under its new Ford ownership, through the various different models of the S Type, variants and engine types, including the 4.2 supercharged V8 that made the Jaguar S Type the fastest road production saloon car in the world. The book examines the development of the Ford DEW platform as well as the evolution of the retro Jaguar S Type design, both exterior and interior, by drawing on the views of designers, engineers and managers who had to capture the Jaguar concept. The author discusses both the design successes and failures, including the need for an interior re-design. The book analyses the supercharged S Type ‘R’ as well as the introduction of the Mk2 and diesel versions. He also discloses the reasons for the success of the S Type in both the United States and Japan. As Jaguars took on a new design concept with the launch of the XF, which looked to the future as opposed to the past, the author summarises the significance of the S Type in making this transition possible. Including hints, tips and what to look out for, this is a comprehensive book about one of Jaguar’s most important models.