Number of cylinders: 8
Service history: Present

Blair, spin doctor of New Labour, was busy building a new Great Britain in the late '90s. Everything had to be fresh, modern and self-assured. And while Cool Britannia blared out of the radio, there was a small band of engineers in Coventry with exactly that same feeling. Jaguar needed a new chapter. Something that reached back to the glory days of the Mark 2, that little saloon in which bank robbers once outran the police, but without the rust and with civilised manners. And so the S-Type was born: retro before retro was cool, with that soft, rounded nose and the broad grille that shouts 'Jaguar' at you from ten metres away.

The problem with the early S-Types was that under the bonnet they had turned out a touch too well-behaved. Ford had its hands on the controls, and you could tell. But then came the 4.2 V8. And that changed the whole story. This AJ34 eight-cylinder suddenly turns a proper British gentleman into a club blazer with a mischievous glint in his eye. Three hundred horses, a greedy, rounder rumble that in the distance sounds like someone quietly imitating a thunderstorm, and an automatic that eases you up to speed so smoothly you come to on the M25 slip road without knowing quite how you got there.

I have always had a soft spot for this generation of Jaguar. Not the flashy one, not the roaring one, but that typically English blend of wood veneer, thick leather and an engine lying dormant beneath you until you need it. It is the car of the barrister who has already won his case before he walks into the courtroom. Civilised, but with reserves.

Right, back to the S-Type 4.2 on offer here. This one is finished in Ebony, that deep black a Jaguar always wears well, and it is genuinely packed to the rafters with everything Coventry had in the options book in 2003. And I mean everything. Xenon headlights, adaptive damping, memory pack, winter pack, electric glass sunroof, an electric rear sunblind for when the ladies on the back seat get too warm, adjustable foot pedals, park distance control, Alpine sound system, navigation, and even a ski hatch. On the original 18" Monaco alloys sit four Goodyears with a tread that is virtually new. This was the Sport specification back in the day, and that previous owner in Germany clearly had no intention of leaving a single box unticked.

And that German past is precisely what makes this car so appealing. The complete service dossier comes with it, from the delivery inspection at Ford-Werke in Köln-Niehl in 2002, via the Jaguar Center in Bonn, through to the later services and TÜV inspections at a garage in Köln. Warranty booklet, dozens of invoices, inspection reports. A car with a CV, not a car with a question mark. Every stamp in its place, every inspection passed cleanly without faults. A dossier like that is not built, it only grows when someone takes the trouble year after year.

Admittedly, by today's standards it is not the fastest, not the sharpest and not the most digital. But that is exactly the point. A modern premium saloon clamours for your attention with screens and beeps. This Jaguar whispers. You climb in, the door closes with that muffled thud, your hand finds the leather selector, and then you glide away as if the road itself steps aside for someone of standing. It is comfort from a generation that still believed a car should above all be pleasant, and only after that fast.

Who still seeks out this kind of car? The enthusiast who has had enough of the umpteenth German lease-fleet classic and wants something with character, with a face, with a story. Someone who understands that a V8 under a British bonnet is a different thing altogether from a V8 out of Munich. Someone who, on a grey Sunday morning, wants to take a run along the coast at Brighton purely because they can, with the rumble in the background and an espresso in the cupholder. Yes, it has cupholders. By 2003 the English had finally cottoned on to the fact that gentlemen get thirsty too.

This S-Type is not an investment that will make you rich. It is a car that will simply make your driving richer.

Notable features:
• 4.2 V8 AJ34, 300 hp, smooth automatic
• Sport specification, finished in deep black Ebony
• Complete German service dossier with warranty booklet and dozens of invoices
• Xenon headlights and adaptive damping
• Electric glass sunroof plus electric rear sunblind
• Memory pack, winter pack and adjustable foot pedals
• Navigation with TV and premium sound system
• Park distance control and cruise control
• Original 18" Monaco alloys with virtually new Goodyears
• Ski hatch, cupholders and full leather upholstery
• MOT/TÜV history passed without faults

With a cup of Earl Grey and the grille in my sights,
Nick Slinger

STEP 2 IN SHOWROOM | HooG Selections

The Jaguar S-Type 2003 is now in our showroom in Katwijk - € 24.950. The full presentation is complete: the cover is off and the car can be viewed right away.

At HooG Selections exclusively carefully selected classic vehicles, fully documented:
✔ Over 75 professional photos
✔ Fully scanned service history
✔ Official Carfax vehicle report
✔ Paint thickness report per body panel
✔ Complete original documentation

Visit our 6,000 m² showroom in Katwijk or view everything at:
www.hoogselections.nl