Codenamed X200, the new S-Type was the most important of the Ford-developed Jaguars, destined to take the brand into an area of the market where it hadn't been represented since the Mk2 of the 1960s.

Built on a shared Ford platform, in this case the D-Series also found on the US market Lincoln LS, the Jaguar made its debut at the 1998 British Motor Show with a spectacular unveiling ceremony, where the new S-Type was revealed on a raised plinth in front of a giant leaper, flanked on both sides by over 50 separate video screens each showing images of the new car and its predecessors. 

The live launch was broadcast by satellite as far afield as Sydney, Tokyo, Berlin and Paris and over 10,000 people across the globe watched the reveal – remember, this was in the days before internet live streaming and widespread connectivity. 

Jaguar’s objective was to take on the booming mid-size executive car market, with the BMW 5-Series ‘E39’ the main target.  

Then there was the unique styling – unashamedly old-fashioned, and based on a ‘Neo-Retro’ style proposed by the late Geoff Lawson, who was Jaguar’s Chief Designer at the time.The Mk2-style front end, the almost art-deco profile and tapered rear were certainly distinctive. 

It was broadly well received, with a choice of 3.0-litre V6 and 4.0-litre V8 petrol engines from the flagship XJ. The ride and handling were sublime, as was always the way with a Jaguar saloon.

The S-Type is very much an up and coming classic and this one is a great option if you want a safe future investment. 

A 3.0 SE saloon with auto transmission, it’s a car that has had care and attention lavished up on it from day one, in the care of only one owner from new. It was bought new from Frost’s Jaguar in Brighton in 2000 and remained in Sussex until the one and only owner passed away last year, having cherished his Jaguar for 20 years and kept it maintained throughout by the supplying dealer. 

It was acquired by the vendor in a probate sale and is held in trade, so shows no previous owners on the logbook.

The Jaguar is supplied with its original tan leather service wallet, inside which are an owners’ manual, car phone guide, alarm system handbook, audio manual and service book.

The car has a current MOT valid until 22 September 2023, which it passed with handful of advisories.

There are several bills backing up its repair history, and a service book stamped 11 times up to just over 49,000 miles. Regular repairs and servicing subsequent to that are represented by a pile of bills, so it has a pretty comprehensive history.

Finished in the unusual but quite alluring shade of Carnival Red, this is a very striking early S-Type. It appears solid and has had no previous welding, the vendor reports. 

The body is very smart with barely any notable wear and tear, other than a small scrape on the nearside wing, the majority of which should polish out. It comes with its original dealer number plates and window stickers, which add to its appeal.

This is an SE-spec car which means it’s really well-equipped for a 3.0-litre, with smart beige leather and matching lower interior trim, with darker beige and mushroom-coloured upper panelling. 

The leather is in largely good condition, though the driver’s seat has a few creases from age and use and might benefit from a deep clean. There’s a small amount of wear to the driver’s seat outer bolster, albeit small, and also to the steering wheel rim and handbrake lever, but it's barely noticeable. 

The dash is in good order, with its pale maple veneers and green LCD displays. The useful pop-out drawer alongside the stereo has  been wedged shut with paper, suggesting it needs repair. It has genuine Jaguar accessory (and very fluffy) lambswool overmats as well…

The Jaguar’s 3.0-litre V6 is based on the same Duratec V6 as found in the Ford Mondeo as well as US models such as the F-150 pick-up, but with a more advanced Jaguar-designed head. It’s a wonderfully strong engine, yet also very smooth, while chain drive camshafts remove the need for expensive belt replacements. 

This car’s low mileage will of course appeal, and it runs as sweetly as you’d expect, while the auto transmission engages forward and reverse ratios seemingly as it should. The vendor reports that it drives very well.

The S-Type is an up-and-coming classic Jaguar, but the quality of those on the market varies wildly.

Values of good ones are really starting to rise, and this one has the notable advantage of being a genuine one-owner car, in a striking colour and in unspoilt original condition. 

It’s a great-looking car and one that has a lot to recommend it, not least its one-owner  status and remarkable colour scheme, as well as its overall condition.


Notice to bidders