Jaguar S-Type (1963)

Jaguar 3.8 S ( 1966)

The Jaguar S-Type was a passenger car series of the upper middle class, which was first introduced by the manufacturer Jaguar in 1963 at the London Motor Show. The S-Type was designed to close the gap between the successful Jaguar Mark II and the great Mark X.

The concept

The S-Type based on the Jaguar Mark II and was basically an updated, slightly larger version of this vehicle. Although the S-Type was - unlike the Mark II - provided with the rear axle already used the Mark X and E-type with independent suspension, split but otherwise almost the entire body structure with the Mark II doors, roof, windscreen and bonnet were identical, the front fenders were taken slightly revised. But the distinctive bumpers Mark II was dropped in favor of thinner - and in the words of some critics cheaper producible - units. The rear, however, had to be completely redesigned, as the new independent suspension would have the trunk otherwise very limited. Therefore, a longer tail X was constructed in the style of Mark for the modified rear axle.

The new rear axle gave the car a unique character. Instead of sportiness known from the Mark II driving behavior was now perceived as comfortable. This corresponded to an optionally available power steering and an automatic transmission. However, the standard equipment was still a manual four-speed transmission. When the Mark II but also at identical engine improved performance offered, allowed the suspension of the S-type higher cornering speeds and thus better overall Performance.Bis 1966 was the so-called Moss crash box installed, which from 1965 by an artificial Jaguar synchromesh four-speed gearbox was added ( with optional overdrive ) and finally replaced.

Variants

Offered was the S-Type with the already known from the Mark II XK6 - line six-cylinder engines with 3.4 and 3.8 liter displacement and 213 hp ( 157 kW ) or 223 hp (164 kW). These were sold as Jaguar 3.4 S and 3.8 S. A Daimler version was not offered.

In contrast to the lighter Mark II, the 2.4 liter engine was not available for the S -Type. Even the 4.2-liter six-cylinder engine was not offered in the S-Type; in this case failed the installation of the engine to the limited space in the engine compartment. In 1966 with the Jaguar 420 ultimately a variant with the 4.2 liter engine; However, this model had a modified front end, which was inspired by the Mark X.

The production

Between 1963 and 1968 a total of 25,171 copies of the S-Type was produced.

Successor to the S-Type was 1968, the Jaguar XJ 6 1999 Jaguar led a new model called S-Type, which also reminded in some design elements on the eponymous until 1968 built S-Type.