HIGHLIGHTS
- Rare S-Type 3.0 SE with manual transmission
- Really early launch-specification example from June 1999
- ‘Rustbuster’ treatment with sills, doors and floors Dinitrol wax-injected
- Factory sat nav and cruise control
THE APPEAL
The Birmingham Motor Show in 1998 was one of the most important ever, with major launches of four important British-built cars - the Rover 75, Land Rover Discovery 2, Vauxhall Astra and Jaguar S-Type, each one a critically important model in its own right.
Jaguar got its fair share of the column inches with a spectacular reveal, where the S-Type was revealed on a plinth in front of a giant leaper hologram, flanked on both sides by 50 separate video screens, each showing images of the car and its predecessors. There was no mistaking the fact that Jaguar was playing on its rich heritage to seed the car in the minds of potential customers.
Today, that modern-retro appeal is retro in its own right. A good S-Type is a cool thing, as nostalgia for the late 1990s and early 2000s develops apace. After all, it’s a car that’s rapidly emerging as a classic, loved by a band of dedicated enthusiasts who will preserve the best survivors as the rougher examples fall by the wayside.
Whoever owned this one previously cottoned onto that early. In 2011, it was given a ‘Rustbuster’ treatment, where Dintrol wax was injected into the sills, doors and body seams and the underside coated in a rubberised underseal. It has ensured that the car has survived in remarkable condition – most early S-Types were killed by corrosion.
It’s also a launch-spec car, registered three months after launch but built in March 1999, right near the beginning of S-Type production. Plus, it’s a manual. That means astonishingly lively performance and 0-60mph in 6.9 seconds…
THE HISTORY AND PAPERWORK
- UK V5C
- MOT October 2023
- Supplied new by Rybrook Jaguar in Warrington in June 1999
- 17 stamps in the service book (13 main dealer), to 85,372 miles
- Original owner’s handbook
- Jaguar wallet and book pack
- All radio codes and manuals present
- Sat nav disc
- Separate pile of invoices documenting annual servicing and regular work in 2010s
- Invoice and certification from Rustbuster documenting comprehensive wax and rustproofing protection in 2011
THE INTERIOR
- Cashmere leather trim with matching tow-tone dash
- Light Maple veneer inserts
- Electrically adjustable seats
- Fully functional factory sat nav
- Sunroof
- Electric steering column adjustment
- Factory-option wood-rimmed steering wheel
- Original Jaguar floor mats and carpets
- Spacesaver spare wheel
- Cruise control
- Trip computer
- Air conditioning
- Original Jaguar radio-cassette
- 6-CD auto changer (untested)
- Minor wear to driver’s seat
- Headlining dropping slightly in rear corner
- o/s/r electric widow non-functional
- Minor damage to o/s/r door shut trim
- Age wear to steering wheel rim and gear lever
- Boot storage bag containing detachable tow bar
THE EXTERIOR
- Rare ‘Seafrost’ Metallic
- Very good overall condition with all original paint
- Described by the MOT tester as “the best S-Type he’d seen in years” in reference to the underside
- Never welded, comprehensively rust-proofed
- Unmarked alloys, with no kerbing
- All original chrome and trim in good overall order
- Good tyres all-round
- Tiny bubbles on one door, under the paint at the top of the door
- Two small areas of faded lacquer on the roof (see photos)
- Amazing condition for an entirely original 24-year-old S-Type
THE MECHANICS
- 3.0-litre V6
- Five-speed manual
- 240bhp
- 0-60mph in a lively 6.9 seconds
- Starts and drives really well
- Clutch and transmission operate well, with no slipping and decent bite point
- Fantastic engine note under acceleration
- No known or apparent faults with steering or braking systems
SUMMARY
Now’s definitely the time to buy an S-Type, as collectors are already snapping up the best examples of what was one of the most important and significant Jaguar models of all-time.
This one is a rare find – a superb early example, a sought-after manual (boy, are they quick…) and specced to the nines with all of the period extras, including a gloriously retro but fully functional LCD sat nav screen. It’s a real snapshot of end-of-the-millennium technology and luxury, presented in extremely straight and sound order and – unusually for an early S-Type – with its original, strong and unwelded floors and sills. You’ll struggle to find another T-reg S-Type that comes close.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only. Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.
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