Driving Around With Walt Woron in The Jaguar S-Type

First off, let me say I'm probably (certainly?) biased when it comes to Jaguar cars. I was ecstatic after my rides/drives in the first Mk VII sedans of the early '50s, and the Mk VIII and IX that followed. Early on, while at Motor Trend, I bought my first sports car, an MG-TC. But only because I couldn't afford what I really wanted, an XK-120. The radically new, midsize 2.4 sedan that soon followed simply increased my appetite.

A decade or so later, as public relations and ad director at Jaguar Cars, Inc., my dream came true-and then some: I was surrounded by Jags. It was the era of the Mk X, the E-Type (XK-E), and 3.4/3.8 Mk 2s, plus the original 3.8 S-Type sedan. And I drove them all.

Today, after time behind the wheel of the new 2000 S-Type, I've relived a multitude of memorable moments derived from those great '60s Jaguars. Photo shoots. Public intros. Race sponsorship. Visits to Coventry, England, to witness virtual hand-assembly. Delightful dialogues with founder Sir William Lyons, William Heynes, and "Lofty" England, the men behind Jaguar's success.

Jaguar press introductions in the U.S. were traditionally low-key-but high class. No flamboyant decorations. No exotic color schemes. Just statuesque models in couturier-designed gowns to enhance the aura of luxury transport. But Jaguar also connoted sleekness and power. So, one year, we had a leashed live jaguar (named Jongo) on stage (press day only) to emphasize those points. After two other companies followed our lead the next year, we fell back to simply appealing to the sports-minded, the rich, and the famous-among them, Salvador Dali and Truman Capote, real Jaguar devotees.

Back in 1956, after driving a 2.4 Sedan (later dubbed Mk I) for Motor Trend, I damned it with faint praise. It was a quality product and held the road well, but wasn't very fast. Needless to say, this new S-Type is light-years ahead of that first 2.4 and a worthy successor to the original "S" with its compact, yet roomy interior sporting full-leather bucket seats, wood paneling (now maple), and straightforward instrumentation. That the new car retains some of its British flavor would've pleased Sir William, et al. The leaping jaguar mascot, a Message Center that warns "boot open" when the trunklid is ajar, a bumbershoot (translation: umbrella) in the trunk (pardon me, boot).

Jaguar's forefathers would be bowled over by the combination of the 4.0-liter/281-horsepower DOHC V-8 (Jag's first) and five-speed automatic with Sport Mode. So am I. It's highly responsive under all conditions. It's a car to praise for many other features, too: Dynamic Stability Control and effective navigation system, rear obstacle detector, rain-sensing wipers, fold-down rear seats for more luggage capacity (extending the somewhat minimal trunk).

Seeing the S-type for the first time, older people smile with some recognition. Younger ones nod approval of its pleasing design (though some thought it was a BMW!?). Those who remember the old 3.8 S do so fondly, despite some irksome traits. They forgive that car's overheating in traffic, its cranky, unreliable electrical system, its none-too-smooth automatic trans, and the never-ending sea of oil stains on the garage floor. Ah, well; it was a Jaguar, you know.

Walt Woron served as Motor Trend's editor from 1949 until 1960.