PROCESS

• S-TYPE was designed and developed through innovative process management including early component sourcing, crossfunctional programme teams, advanced quality planning, rapid prototyping and predictive/analytical techniques.

• Dynamic Programme Simulation provided a rigorous, computer-based analytical 'test bed' to determine, in advance, the implications of management decisions on issues such as resources, productivity and prototype scheduling - the first automotive application of this technique.

• Dimensional Management, employing computer-based assembly variation modelling techniques, was used to determine the optimum body design, before building any prototypes. Over one million 'virtual' cars were built on the computer to establish optimal assembly processes before the start of production.

• Intensive operator training programmes and the building of prototypes on the production line helped ensure manufacturing readiness at launch

• More than 450 prototype and pre-production AJ-V6 engines were built and tested on dynamometers and in vehicles.

• Simulated autobahn durability tests were conducted equivalent to 100,000 miles at an average of over 100 mph.

• Body engineers undertook computer aided simulation and aluminium soft tooling techniques to perfect panel radii, material flow and manufacturing of the two-pressing, highly styled bonnet assembly.

• Extensive acoustic windtunnel testing ensured best-in-class 'windnoise' isolation.

 BODY STRUCTURE

• 'Limousine'-style door design extends into the roof line for easier entry and exit

• One-piece body side, incorporating the rear wing and a one-piece front door opening panel provides a highly stable structure ensuring highly consistent shut lines and door seal location.

• A plastic moulded reinforcement member, highly complex in shape, provides a very stable mounting for the style-critical headlamps and grille.

• Leading-edge hydroform technology, injecting oil into a tube of steel, was used to mould the shape of the complex radiator crossmember

• High strength steel was used in critical areas of the body following extensive finite element analysis, optimising the weight of the bodyshell.

• All doors have triple seals with welded locating channels for optimum refinement.

• Body apertures restricted to a total of 25 cm² to minimise air leakage, maximising perceived refinement.

• 85 per cent of body-in-white, including all vulnerable areas, are double-sided, zinc coated steel

• Specially shaped plastic outer sills minimise risk of stone chips on bottoms of doors.

 EXTERIOR FEATURES

• One-piece body coloured front/rear bumpers with energy absorbing moulded polypropylene foam core resist parking knocks at up to 5mph (8 Km/h).

• Front grille, integral with front bumper, moves backwards in minor accidents without damaging adjacent components.

• Front bumper incorporates foglamps and telescopic headlamp power wash, where specified.

• Fine-wire heated wiper park fitted as standard to front screen (full heated screen is an option).

• Rear screen contains antennae for audio, security, cellular phone and Trafficmaster, where specified.

• Elliptical quad headlamps have impact resistant polycarbonate lenses and use 'freeform' reflectors with a high gloss, aluminium, vacuum metallised finish for jewel-like appearance. All lamps have long-life bulbs.

• Electronic headlamp levelling and automatically operating headlamps, responding to ambient light, are standard.

• Reverse Park Control, incorporating rear bumper mounted sensors and audible warning is available as an option.

• Rain Sensitive Wipers, working on the principle of refracted light using photodiodes and light-emitting diodes, are optional fit.

• A glass sunroof with electrically operated tilt/slide and encapsulated seal is standard.

 INTERIOR STYLE AND ENGINEERING

• Soft-feel foam and slush moulded facia skin over a rigid injection moulded armature has an integrally moulded passenger airbag deployment door for a tamper-proof, perfect fit.

• Strong tubular steel crossbeam fits behind the facia, enhancing refinement through torsional rigidity and crash performance, while providing very stable mounting for the steering column, minimising vibration.

• Five-function trip computer with two independent memories is integral with the instrument pack and VF, eleven language message centre display.

• Ignition key barrel ergonomically located in the facia

• Mirror polished, Mushroom stained bird's eye maple veneers on doors, facia and console. One-piece, full width facia veneer employs a light weight magnesium substrate for enhanced quality and durability.

• 8-way electrically adjustable front seats are standard on 3.0 V6 with a 2-position memory recall facility (seats, steering column and exterior mirrors) available as an option on 3.0 V6 and as standard on 3.0 V6 'special equipment' and 4.0 V8.

• Steering column adjustable for tilt and reach is standard, electrically operated on 3.0 V6 'special equipment' and 4.0 V8.

• Front seats incorporate side airbags to protect both head and chest.

• Bench-style rear seat with, for the first time in a Jaguar, a 60/40 folding backrest.

• All five seating positions have adjustable head restraints.

• Optional, electrically operated 'scissor’ action rear sunblind.

• Optional facia-mounted phone presenter.

• Multi-function luggage retention system, including four tie-down points, in the boot.

• Steering wheel controls for main audio, telephone and cruise control functions is standard on 3.0 V6 ‘special equipment' and 4.0 V8 (optional on 3.0 V6) for safe, hands-free operation.

• Electrically adjustable, heated door mirrors are standard with a power fold back option.

• Optional electrochromic interior mirror.

• Automatic climate control system - Jaguar's first dual-zone system - with particle filtration, is standard fitment on all models. 4.0 V8 models have a residual heating system providing heat to the cabin at low ambients for up to 20 minutes after the engine is switched off.

 POWERTRAIN

• New 240bhp DIN (1 79 kW) 60^O, all-aluminium quad cam 3.0 litre AJ-V6 - Jaguar's first ever production V6 - delivers best-in-class specific power of 80.9 bhp/litre (60.3kW/litre) with 90 per cent of peak torque available between 2500 and 6000 rev/min.

- AJ-V6 shares design features with 4.0 AJ-V8 including combustion and low volume cooling systems, cylinder head and valvegear.

- AJ-V6 'first-for-Jaguar' features include 3-stage, variable intake manifold with dual-intake tuning valves and long, equal length exhaust downpipes for maximum low speed torque.

• Proven, 280 bhp DIN (209 kW) all-aluminium, quad cam 4.0 litre AJ-V8 now features linear variable cam phasing, full authority throttle body, air assist injection and twin-wall exhaust manifolds.

• Lightweight 5-speed Getrag manual transmission available with AJ-V6 engine.

• New 5-speed automatic transmission - standard on 4.0 V8 and 3.0 V6 'special equipment' - features wide ratio spread for optimum performance, economy and refinement and fully electronic, intelligent gearshift control.

• Bespoke powertrain electronic controller which integrates both engine and transmission functions, has a memory capacity of 1 Megabyte.

 VEHICLE DYNAMICS

• All-independent, double wishbone front and rear suspension with extensive use of light weight aluminium componentry and twin front crossbeams.

• Variable ratio, speed proportional power steering.

• Ventilated discs front and rear and 4 channel antilock with electronic brake distribution for enhanced stability in adverse conditions.

• Standard-fit electronic traction control system with engine and brake intervention.

• Optional electronic Dynamic Stability Control system linking with the anti-lock, traction control and steering systems to prevent oversteer.

• Optional Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS), employing two-stage electronic adaptive dampers.

• Pirelli P6000 (16 inch) and P Zero (1 7 inch) tyre systems.

• Ideal 50/50 front/rear weight distribution.

 ELECTRONICS

• Single multiplexed network links all major powertrain, chassis and body electronic control modules, transmitting data at up to 700 messages per second. Fewer, shorter wires improve packaging quality and reliability.

• Engine and transmission control is achieved by a single module with a dedicated, high speed internal communication link. This powertrain controller connects by hard wire for high speed communication to the throttle body to operate the full authority electronic throttle.

• A combined electronic module for anti-lock brakes, traction control and steering systems provides full chassis systems integration.

 SECURITY SYSTEMS

• RF remote controlled security systems, fully integrated into the vehicle's electronics system exceed insurance industry criteria and include perimeter alarm and immobiliser with random encrypted coding, deadlocking, volumetric intrusion sensing, automatic locking on drive-away and 'smart' locking, helping to prevent locking the key inside the car.

• Fully encrypted, electromechanical steering column lock responds only to dedicated transponder key. Steering column locking mechanism is integrated into facia, preventing physical attack.

• Global open/close for windows and sunroof.

 AUDIO, COMMUNICATIONS AND TELEMATICS SYSTEMS

• For the first time on a production car, optional voice activated controls for the audio (radio/cassette/CD), phone and climate control systems, responding to the spoken instructions of the driver, provide safe, hands-free operation. The system responds to a wide diversity of English and North American accents, but also provides for training to recognise a specific voice.

• A first for Jaguar is the optional fully integrated, onboard satellite navigation system using multi-lingual, digitised map data on CD-ROM. The system can point out useful landmarks and points of interest and links with the UK's Trafficmaster system to provide real time data on traffic delays.

• The 175 Watt, twelve speaker, premium sound system, features two active "centre fill' speakers, an active sub-woofer enclosure and 6-disc C.D. autochanger. Digital sound processing, working with Dolby, provides special audio effects and compensates for the number of vehicle occupants.

• The premium specification Motorola Startac 130 portable GSM phone is a factory fit option, combining the advantages of vehicle integration, safety, convenience and performance with the versatility of a pocket phone.

 SAFETY / ENVIRONMENT

• Bodyshell exceeds all crash legislation worldwide, including the latest European side impact and offset frontal impact tests.

• Computer analysis and modelling were used extensively by engineers together with a comprehensive dynamic crash test programme.

• High strength steel used in critical areas such as front longitudinals, seat belt anchorages and suspension mounting points.

• Doors have hot-stamped boron steel side intrusion beams, full height B/C post and A pillar reinforcements and one-piece front and rear door hinge reinforcement panels, all in high strength steel.

• 'Catcher' bracket assemblies retain rear doors in their frames in the event of side impact.

• Front end structure dissipates crash energy efficiently via convoluted front rails and a roll formed solid steel beam.

• Energy absorbing ribs, moulded into the upper A and B/C pillar trim panels, and a headliner of energy absorbing foam reduce risk of head injury.

• Fuel system includes deformable, plastic fuel tank under the rear floor, away from impact zones and an inertia fuel cut-off switch.

• Front seat-mounted, side airbags protect both head and ribcage.

• Twin frontal airbags and pyrotechnic seatbelt pretensioners; passenger bag is powered by environmentally friendly mix of clean air and twelve per cent hydrogen, which is smokeless and easier to recycle.

• All rear seating positions have three point belts with automatically locking retractors, ensuring child seats are securely restrained.

• Leading-edge restraints control module can discriminate between crash events warranting airbag deployment and those which don't.

• Internally stroked steering column which telescopes within its own length, combines with stiff mounts to achieve very robust and repeatable crash 'stroke'.

• AJ-V6 and AJ-V8 engines meet toughest exhaust and evaporative emission standards in the world. High compression ratios, fast warm-up precision cooling system, variable cam phasing and twin close-coupled catalysts deliver low emissions and good fuel economy.

• A minimum of 80 per cent by weight of each S-TYPE is recyclable, while 84 per cent of component packaging is durable and returnable.

 MANUFACTURING

• Development of Jaguar's Castle Bromwich site is one of the largest UK inner city investments for 50 years.

• At Castle Bromwich, S-TYPE bodies are constructed, painted and finally assembled into complete cars (on the same site, the bodies for Jaguar XJ saloon and XK sports cars are constructed, painted and shipped to Jaguar's Browns Lane plant in Coventry for final assembly).

• The majority of components are delivered by suppliers to the trackside on a just-in-time basis.

• 4500 spot welds on each S-TYPE body are applied by the latest computer controlled machines, using closed-loop secondary current control for precision welding.

• Body panels may be audited by positioning in ‘environmental cubes’ which perform a thorough geometric check of all components.

• The one-piece body side pressings, incorporating the rear wing, nearly 4 metres long, are formed in a 2,000 tonne capacity press.

• Door and bonnet outer panels are made from a special bake-hardening steel, more resistant to minor impacts.

• Accurate fitting of doors, bonnet and bootlid ensured by precise measurement of body openings, achieved by means of a laser camera system, which also performs a final check on the overall geometry of the body.

• Paint shop is a sealed, clean room with controlled temperature and humidity. Among the environmental measures are close control and incineration of remaining paint solvent emissions.

• New environmentally efficient, gas-fired boiler house and effluent treatment facility installed at Castle Bromwich for S-TYPE production.

• Waterborne paint system cuts basecoat solvent emissions by 85 per cent.

• The body is internally protected by hot wax injection, which flows into place during stoving.

• Final assembly is performed on a series of skillets (platforms of laminated wood) to create a continuously moving floor for efficient, ergonomic assembly.

• The drivetrain is built up in two separate assemblies:

(i) engine, transmission, front suspension, brakes and steering rear axle assembly - (ii) final drive, rear drive shafts, rear suspension and brakes.

• With the addition of the propeller shaft the complete driveline assembly is dynamically balanced in a special rig, rotating the propshaft at 250Orev/min.

• When mating the driveline to the body, laser cameras are used to validate alignment.

• Each completed car is the subject of a comprehensive electrical check by means of VCATS (Vehicle Configuration and Test Systems).

• Non-contact laser technology measures front and rear suspension geometry and headlamp alignment.

• Further validation is performed on a rolling road, including engine, transmission, brakes.