Jaguar Expands Product Range with S-TYPE Sport Sedan
7 January 1999
Jaguar Expands Product Range with S-TYPE Sport Sedan DETROIT, Jan. 6 -- Jaguar's first release of the 2000 model
year, the S-TYPE, takes center stage among the company's production offerings
on display at the North American International Auto Show.
The S-TYPE luxury sport sedan will go on sale in North America in the
spring of 1999. The new model, built on a completely new platform, adds a
third line to the company's range of prestige luxury sedans and sports cars.
"The introduction of S-TYPE will make the Jaguar ownership experience
available to a far broader range customers," said Michael H. Dale, president -
Jaguar North America. "This car represents the first step in an unprecedented
period of expansion for Jaguar, enabling the company's sales volume in North
America to double in the S-TYPE's first full year of production."
The Jaguar S-TYPE was named in tribute to the company's high-performance
3.8 S-type of the 1960s. The car's styling, design and development was
carried out at Jaguar's Whitley Engineering Centre in Coventry, England.
Jaguar will manufacture the S-TYPE in a new production complex at Castle
Bromwich, near Birmingham, England. With the potential to build approximately
50,000 cars per year, the added capacity enables Jaguar to move forward with
plans to become a full-range manufacturer of luxury-class automobiles.
The S-TYPE's standard and optional equipment offerings will provide buyers
with a variety of sophisticated features. Among the innovations is a system
of voice-activated controls (continuous-speech, independent of person
speaking) to operate the climate control, audio system and telephone.
An optional in-dash Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) navigation system
may be enhanced by the addition of Jaguar Assist, an emergency messaging
system that provides automated response in the event of an air bag deployment.
The S-TYPE spans a broad range of buyer needs with two available
powertrains: the new Jaguar-engineered 3.0-liter AJ-V6 and the highly regarded
4.0-liter AJ-V8. Both engines have aluminum cylinder blocks and heads for
weight savings, and both are paired with a new five-speed automatic
transmission developed for this platform. A finely tuned double-wishbone
suspension supports the sporting intent of the rear-wheel-drive S-TYPE. An
optional Sport Package adds Jaguar's adaptive Computer Active Technology
Suspension (CATS) and 17-inch wheels with Z-rated tires.
The S-TYPE's exterior styling delivers a fresh, modern look while it
evokes Jaguar's powerful design legacy. The new design direction, intended to
express spirited elegance, is integral to Jaguar's strategy of expanding its
appeal.
The interior styling relies on traditional Jaguar design elements,
including richly finished wood and fine-quality leather, while the overall
atmosphere is contemporary and information intensive. The telephone and audio
system are optimally integrated, and a six-disc CD can be mounted in the glove
box.
The 2000 S-TYPE will be on display at the Jaguar stand throughout the
North American International Auto Show at Detroit's Cobo Hall. The show is
open to the public from Jan. 9-18, 1999.
