The Morning Call and Mcall.com's view

When introduced in 1999, the Jaguar S-Type was responsible for doubling Jaguar’s sales.

That was true until the introduction of the smaller, cheaper X-Type three years later. The all-wheel-drive X-Type now accounts for half of Jaguar’s sales, some at the expense of the rear-wheel-drive S-Type, whose sales have declined since the introduction of the X-Type.

So Jaguar is trying to enhance the S-Type’s appeal by refining the car’s details for 2003. While a redesigned interior enhances this car’s appeal, it’s the introduction of what Jaguar claims to be ”… the most powerful series production car ever to be produced by the Coventry, UK, manufacturer” that has enthusiasts purring with delight.

That car is the S-Type R, the sportiest iteration of the S-Type sedan, ready to do battle with the likes of the BMW M5 and the Mercedes Benz E55.

To make sure the car holds up against such stiff competition, it has been fitted with an Eaton supercharged 4.2-liter double-overhead-cam V-8 engine with twin intercoolers. It’s good for 390 horsepower and 399 foot-pounds of torque and a 0-60 mph time of just 5.3 seconds.That’s one fast cat.

All of the S-Type’s competitors are blisteringly fast. What makes the British S-Type R different from its German competition is the feel of the car as the power is delivered. Rather than a hard, razor-edged teutonic feel, Jaguar delivers the power with a typical silky sensation while planting you firmly into the back of your seat. There’s more than enough torque to spin the tires when prodded, but the S-Type R still delivers the quiet, refined experience expected of this marque.

Handling is typical Jaguar. That means excellent response while delivering a firm, yet supple ride. For the S-Type R, Jaguar added a sports suspension, large Brumby brakes and Jaguar’s Computer Active Technology System (CATS) pairs upgraded springs with electronically controlled dampers to improve performance. This is paired with Dynamic Stability Control to counter the effects of understeer and oversteer.

The handling is helped by a body structure that is 10 percent stiffer than the older model, which contributes to the vehicle’s sense of refinement.

It’s a distinctive experience, one enhanced by an improved interior. Jaguar has redesigned the dashboard of the S-Type for 2003, reworking the center console to hold a 7-inch LCD touch-screen. It’s little improvement over non-electronic designs, but that seems to be a moot point in the rush to meet the competition.

I generally find these screens distracting, as it is impossible to work the controls by feel. Instead, one must divert attention from the road and look at the screen. Some climate and audio controls are manual, but too many others are integrated onto the screen.

The excellent DVD-based navigation system is useful, but one would suspect that it is used too seldom by most drivers to be worth the extra cost.

Otherwise, the interior is a big improvement, with the flowing, supple lines of the dashboard similar to that of the dashboard in bigger Jags. Bird’s eye maple accents the cabin.

The cumbersome handbrake that previously stole seat space has been replaced by a simple electronic switch.

The seats are inviting and supportive, but could use a bit more side bolstering, considering the car’s sporting intent. The leather interior is luscious.

Spotting this cat is easy. Up front, the growler logo joins the leaper hood ornament. A mesh screen grille replaces the more formal chrome grille. Out back, a spoiler on the deck lid and a discreet emblem are all that will tip you off.

The S-Type starts at $42,495 for a 3-liter 235-horsepower V-6 with either a six-speed automatic or five-speed Getrag manual transmission.

Want a 294-horsepower 4.2-liter V-8 in your S-Type? It starts at $49,975. The test car, supplied by Jaguar, has a ase price of $62,400.

That’s a lot of money. But it’s quite a lot of cat.