A Reader's Review Of His Favourite Cat

Here is what Wikipedia have to say about my car;

“The car was praised on its release for its interior and ride.^[8][9] In particular, the 2.7 V6 twin-turbodiesel engine was described as a paragon of refinement, quietness, and fuel economy by the European automotive press, with enough 'refinement and performance to wean anyone off petrol power”.

I wouldn’t argue with that, it sums up the S Type nicely.

My car is 17 years old and has still not yet reached 40,000 miles. The ride is smooth, easy, and fast! Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS) gives you the best of ride and handling by making up to 3,000 adjustments per second to the suspension. Dynamic Stability Control(DSC) proves itself in demanding driving situations by applying braking to individual wheels and reducing engine torque.

The 8Jx18" alloy wheels with low profile tyres give confident traction when cornering (a full-size spare wheel is a bonus). The only problem with low-profile tyres is the upset of 'kerbing’. I have had my wheels refurbished.

The exterior Frost Blue metallic paint continues to the electric folding door mirrors, these have an automatic dimming and heating feature. It has parking aid sensors at the rear and the windscreen wipers are rain-sensitive and can be set to continuous wipe or timed automatically.

The boot has had comments on the size of it being too small. I find it quite spacious, especially with the split rear seats folded down, but the parcel shelf is low, which does limit its carrying power. I find it more than adequate for a big shop and occasional DIY projects.

The interior is splendid, all leather and wood veneer and very comfortable, the driver's seat has 10 electric adjustments which are kept in one of the two memories, including the tilt and towards or away of the steering wheel and the exterior mirrors.

On entering the car the steering wheel and seat move to give the optimum space and reset when the door is closed. The technology is a bit further than my Vauxhall Vivas from years gone by!

The steering wheel features buttons for volume on the audio, selecting a phone number, and cruise control. A 7-inch screen brings up satellite navigation, which covers 16 countries (including where I live, in Wigan). The radio stations & air conditioning and dual heating control are also shown.

The handbrake is electrically operated. When you take the keys out of the ignition, it is applied automatically, and when you start the car & begin to move it automatically releases. 

Now here is the only problem I have found in the car. When the weather is freezing, a warning light and message inevitably come up saying the hand brake is inoperable! This requires disconnecting the battery and going through a procedure to reset it. The problem is that if I had the handbrake on, it would not be possible to release it, so the car cannot be moved unless you go through the resetting procedure, which isn't ideal if you have an appointment.

I was fortunate to be told the solution by an AA man. Press the handbrake lever down before you take the keys out of the ignition, and keep it pressed down until the keys are removed. This won’t stop the light coming on but at least you can drive the car. Other than that little quirk I think the Jaguar will be with me till the end.