History
Birth of the company
Founded as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, by two motorcycle enthusiasts, Sir William Lyons, William Walmsley, the SS Jaguar name first appeared on a 2.5 litre saloon in 1935,[6] sports models of which were the SS 90 and SS 100.
The Jaguar name was given to the entire company in 1945 when the "SS" name was dropped due to its association with Germany's SS military organisation much publicised and in Britain greatly reviled during and following World War II.[7] Cash was short after the war and Jaguar sold to Rubery Owen the plant and premises of Motor Panels, a pressed steel body manufacturing company which had been acquired in the late 1930s when growth prospects had seemed more secure.[8] Nevertheless, Jaguar achieved relative commercial success with their early post war models: times were also tough for other Coventry based auto-makers and the company was able to buy from John Black's Standard Motor Company the plant on which Standard had built the six cylinder engines which, hitherto, they had been supplying to Jaguar.[8]
Jaguar made its name by producing a series of extremely eye-catching sports cars, in the XK 120 of 1949, developed into XK 140 and XK 150, and the E Type (or XKE in the US) of 1961. These were all successful and embodied Lyons' mantra of 'value for money'. They were also highly successful on the international stage of motorsport, a path followed in the 1950s to prove the engineering integrity of the company's products. Two of the proudest moments in Jaguar's long history in motor sport involved winning the Le Mans 24 hours race, firstly in 1951 and again in 1953. The 1955 victory was somewhat overshadowed by the tragic events that occurred. Later in the hands of the Scottish racing team Ecurie Ecosse (who went down in legendary status for twice pulling off a David v Goliath effort in the famed car-killing race) two more wins were added in 1956/57.
However it was always Lyons intention to build the business by producing world-class sporting saloon (sedan) cars in larger numbers possible than the sports cars. Over many models they enjoyed some degree of success in this aim with the early 3 & 3 1/2 litre cars, the Mark 7/8/9, the compact saloons Mark I and 2, and XJ6 and XJ12. Again all were deemed to be very good value for money with their comfortable ride, good handling, high performance and great style.
Jaguar, pronounced /ˈdʒæɡjuːər/ JAG-yew-ər (U.K.) or pronounced /ˈdʒæɡwɑr/ JAG-wahr (U.S.),[9] made its name in the 1950s with a series of elegantly styled sports cars and luxury saloons. In 1951 the company leased what would quickly become its principal plant from the Daimler Motor Company[10] (not to be confused with Daimler-Benz), and in 1960 purchased Daimler from its parent company, the Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA). From the late
1960s, Daimler was used as a brand name for Jaguar's most luxurious saloons.[11]
Cars
Current models
XF (mid-size saloon), XJ (full-size saloon), XK (grand tourer)
The Jaguar XF is a mid-size executive car that was introduced in 2008 to replace the out-going S-Type in the company's line-up. In January 2008, the XF was awarded the What Car? 'Car of the Year' and 'Executive Car of the Year' awards. The XF was also awarded Car of the Year 2008 from What Diesel? magazine. Engines available in the XF are a 3.0 litre V6 diesel or petrol and a 5.0 litre V8 supercharged called the XFR, or naturally aspirated V8 petrol, and - in the US - a 4.2L V8. Prices range from £29,900 to £62,600 in United Kingdom.[32]
The Jaguar XJ is a full-size luxury saloon and the company's flagship model. It has been in production since 1968 with the first generation being the last Jaguar car to have creative input by the company's founder, Sir William Lyons. In early 2003, the third generation XJ arrived in showrooms and while the car's exterior and interior styling were traditional in appearance, the car was completely re-engineered. Its styling attracted much criticism from many motoring journalists who claimed that the car looked old-fashioned and barely more modern than its predecessor, many even citing that the 'Lyons line' had been lost in the translation from Mark 2 into Mark 3 XJ, even though beneath the shell lied a highly advanced aluminium construction that put the XJ to very near the top of its class.[33]
Jaguar responded to the criticism with the introduction of the fourth generation XJ, launched in 2009. Its exterior styling is a departure from previous XJs, with a more youthful, contemporary stance, following the design shift that came into effect previously with the company's XF and XK models.[34]
The XJ is priced from £44,500 to £59,000 in United Kingdom with a sport model called the Super V8, starting at £50,000.[35] As the name suggests, the Super V8 features a supercharged 4.2 litre V8 engine, which accelerates the car from 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in just 5.0 seconds. To cater to the limousine market, all XJ models are offered with a longer wheelbase as an option, which enlarges the space available inside the cabin.[36]
The Jaguar XK is a luxury grand tourer that was introduced in 2006, where it replaced the Jaguar XK8. The XK introduced an aluminium monocoque bodyshell, and is available both as a two-door coupé and two-door cabriolet/convertible. The XK price ranges from £60,000 - £71,000 in United Kingdom.[37]
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