British auto brand Jaguar is known for its high-performance cars. With a century of presence in the auto market, Jaguar’s history is an interesting one. Performance vehicles produced by Jaguar were highly popular and won many competitions over the years. The brand has come a long way but continues its excellent design heritage to date.
Let’s go through the history of Jaguar and some of its car models and designs over the years.
JAGUAR CAR HISTORY
William Lyons and William Walmsley started the auto manufacturing company in 1922. The founders named the company “Swallow Sidecar Company”. As the name suggests, the British auto brand was known for its side and racing cars. However, it started designing and manufacturing street cars in later years.
Here’s a timeline that will familiarise you with the journey of Jaguar cars.
1934-1944: CHANGE OF BRAND NAME
William Walmsley opted out and sold his shares to Lyons in 1934. The same year, the auto brand decided to change its name to S.S. Cars Limited. Soon after that, the first Jaguar models, SS90 and SS100, were launched. Both the car models had 2.5-litre engines. The SS Jaguar cars were one of the most distinctive-looking cars in the pre-war era. Moreover, these cars were finely tuned to achieve high performance.
1945-1954: THE OFFICIAL BEGINNING OF JAGUAR
Fast forward to 1945, the British car brand officially changed its name to Jaguar Car Company. Alongside, the company also made changes to the official Jaguar logo. Post-war, Jaguar launched XK120 which was the second sports car after the SS100 in 1948. Besides, the design of XK120 included floating lines similar to the motorcycle and had a vertical front grille.
XK120 became a signature car for nearly two decades. Following the XK120, C-type made its debut in 1951. It was considered as one of the finely designed racing cars of that time. Moreover, the C-type made the history of Jaguar cars richer as the car went on to win Le Mans in 1951 and dominated in 1953. That said, the lightweight body and advanced disc brakes made it uncatchable.
D-type launched in 1954 was another of the most popular racing cars in Jaguar car history. Moreover, this car with a 3.4-litre 6-cylinder inline engine boasted 250 horsepower. It went on to win the Le Mans race for three successive years, 1955, 1956 and 1957. D-type 1955 is one of the expensive classic cars sold at auctions for a price of 21.7 million dollars in 2016.
1955-1959: EVOLUTION OF SPORTS SALOON BY JAGUAR
Ahead of its time with a lightweight and comfortable interior, Jaguar launched Mark-I in 1955. Inspired by the success of the D-type, Mark-II followed the same design and sub-frame mounted suspension system. Furthermore, Jaguar introduced 2.4, 3.4, and 3.8-litre 6-cylinder inline engines.
1960-1966: NEWLY DESIGNED SPORTS CARS
The E-type debuted in 1961 at the Geneva Motor Show. It had a monocoque chassis design. Moreover, the E-type demonstrated a sleeker body design with a long nose. This performance car was equipped with a 3.8-litre engine and its body was made up of aluminium making it lightweight.
In 1966, XJ13 debuted with a spectacular V12 engine. Only one XJ13 was ever built as it was intended for Le Mans. However, the project halted when the rules and regulations of the Le Mans race changed. XJ13 was rebuilt and is now kept in the Jaguar Heritage Collection.
1967-1975: THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA
Jaguar XJ6 was the last ever car model designed by William Lyons. It was one of the longest-lived creations in Jaguar car history. XJ6 easily replaced their saloon range in the 1960s.
The iconic Jaguar E-type was replaced by the XJ-S which was more powerful than its predecessors. Moreover, the car possessed an aerodynamic shape and adapted the bold and sleek Jaguar look. That said, its power was further enhanced by a straight-six 3.8-litre engine.
1976-1996: NEW SPORTS CAR MODELS
For the first time in Jaguar car history, the British auto manufacturer introduced the V8 engine in the XK8. Sleek shape blends with the safety features and sufficient space. Being one of the luxury cars by Jaguar, XK8 went on to become the fastest ever selling cars in the company’s history.
1997-2010: REDEFINED LUXURY CARS
Jaguar introduced the 2006 model of XK which reflected the design of its predecessor, E-type. The front grille and unique rear light design with lightweight monocoque body paid tribute to old Jaguar models.
XF is another of the saloon cars with sports performance. Paying tribute to the Mark-II which set up the line for saloon car models, the XF model possessed high power of 246 hp and 296 hp for its two different trims. Current models of XF are more sleek, spacious and equipped with the modern safety features. Its impressive sports look with the luxurious interior is suited for the business car segment.
2010-PRESENT: REDEFINING LUXURY AND PAST MODELS
Being in the automotive industry for 100 years, Jaguar cars have not changed their sporty designs. While latest XJ models have become a constant part of Jaguar line-up, the new F-type was introduced as a successor of the E-type model.
Furthermore, the F-Pace debuted in 2016 and became the first SUV in the history of Jaguar cars. Throughout the years, Jaguar has maintained its reputation for sporty and sleek design cars. That said, the F-Pace is an all-wheel drive with 8-speed automatic transmission and powered by 2.0-litre and 4.9-litre engines producing 246 hp and 550 hp, respectively. Morever, the Jaguar Panthera EV platform has also been introduced to build the brand’s electric car lineup.
This wraps the Jaguar car history. Current Jaguar models display a touch of their past sport performance vehicles. If you are a fan of this British auto brand, you can find out some of the top used Jaguar models in the UAE. Besides, you can explore other used cars in the UAE with sporty and modern features.
Keep reading your favourite cars blog to find out more on the history and facts of the automotive makes and models.
Related Posts
