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Besides the switches, the display inside the Jag aren’t Optitron or any of those fancy stuff. In fact, they don’t even have the decency to have backlit LCDs—all of it is in a shade of green that seem to shout, Made In America. The gauges have also suffered the same fate, as it lacks the visual impact as those new fancy gauges from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. Clearly, the S-Type was designed a few years ago, and unfortunately for us, Ford has decided not to update the car in some areas before it was released into the public in 1997. Ergonomically, majority of the switches feel within easy reach. However, there are some nuisances such as some switches that seem too small and too cluttered around the center. It’s quite hard to reach the ventilation controls and once you get to reach it, it gets blocked by the trademark J-gate shifter. Interior spaces is nothing to praise inside the Jag, as the feel is similar to the BMW 5-series—cocooned without being too claustrophobic. In fact, the overall sitting position and the location of the wheel and the shift gate means that this S-Type doesn’t suffer a monkey-like driving position, rather this car is set to be a perfect driving tool. The rear is adequate for a car of this size, but it’s no bigger than the BMW 5-series or Mercedes-Benz E-class. In fact, for those used to front-wheel drive cars, the rear space is a bit of a squeeze. However, if you own a car such as the S-Type, you’ll probably won’t care—and during our test drive—we didn’t car as much. Why? Well, those the Jag lacks the space, the quality of the seating makes up for this shortcoming. The seat cushions give excellent support for both front and rear passengers and very comfortable during long haul drives. Starting up the S-Type reveals the deep growl of its 3.0-liter V6 engine that it shares with the Lincoln LS. Though most people think that this isn’t the true power plant of a Jaguar, I couldn’t care less as this engine has a great exhaust note and will make those Japanese cars green with envy. However, against the Germans, this power plant is still no match for the silky smoothness of the BMW inline-6 engines. |
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