Jaguar: The History Of Elegant British Cars

British brand Jaguar is famous for its stylish saloon and sports car designs. Let’s review its history, from its beginnings to its great historical milestones.

Jaguar ownership changes

The Jaguar company was founded in 1922 under the name Swallow Sidecar Company and renamed Jaguar Cars after World War II. This was due to the negative connotations of his initials, SS.

Jaguar was an independent company until 1966. From this year it became part of the British Motor Corporation . In 1984 it went public and in 1989 it became part of the Ford company.

His successful designs landed him a position in Ford’s Premier Automotive Group , alongside Aston Martin, Volvo and Lincoln. It was part of this luxury car division until Ford began selling its sub-brands in 2006 due to the economic problems of the financial crisis.

In 2008, Jaguar was sold to the Indian company Tata Motors for about 2.3 billion euros, and has remained with this company until today.

The Jaguar market before and after WWII

During its early years, Jaguar was in the business of making sidecars for motorcycles, and began manufacturing car bodies in 1927.

In the 1930s the legendary SS1 was launched, where the seed of the first Jaguar emerged. The company’s name change, apart from its unfortunate initials, was intended to reflect the speed with which the company grew during its early years.

With the outbreak of war, Jaguar focused its manufacture on the war cause, like many other automobile companies. In his case, the British company returned to sidecar designs adapted for military motorcycles. He also delves into aircraft design.

After the conflict, the brand presented its XK120 model in 1948. This sports car incorporated a 160 hp engine and was one of the great successes of the company, and one of the most famous models in the history of the car.

Jaguar in the second half of the 20th century

The XK120C, also known as the C-Type , was born in 1950 and competes in the Le Mans 24 Hours tournament in 1951. The company achieved a victory on its debut in the tournament.

In 1953 a new brake disc was developed as a secret weapon for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race that year. This technology allows the car to brake later than its rivals, gaining an advantage that allowed Jaguar to obtain first, second and fourth places in the competition.

The decade ends with five more victories for Jaguar, thanks to the C-Type and D-Type moelos .

The 1960s are the decade of the E-Type within Jaguar. In 1961 this new model was presented that caused a sensation as the XK120 did. This vehicle became an icon in the automotive world with 70,000 models manufactured in the following thirteen years.

The brand continues at the top without its founder

At the beginning of the 70s the founder of the company, William Lyons, retired, but his replacements continued the philosophy of innovation and elegance of the brand. IN 1975, the XJ-S was presented, a sports convertible model that represents a revolution in the high-end car sector.

In the following decade, the British brand achieved two more victories at Le Mans with the XJR-9LM in 1988 and the XJR-12 in 1990. The company’s managers decide that their potential will increase if they become part of a world-class producer , which is why the company is sold to Ford.

The last decade of the 20th century represents a process of modernization and expansion for Jaguar. The XK8 and XKR models are born, in addition to the S-Type . This allows the company to start the new millennium by breaking manufacturing and distribution records, with the widest range of products in its history.

The British company in the 20th century

In 2001, the Jaguar X-Type turns out to be the big star of the Geneva Motor Show. In 2002 the XJ model with aluminum body was presented and in 2008 the company was acquired by the Tata Group.

The Indian company also acquired the three sub-brands that Jaguar had until then: Daimler, Lanchester and Rover.

Until now, the British brand has continued with the philosophy of its founder, offering high-end cars with unique style and performance.

Jaguar vehicles have been featured many times in television series and movies as examples of high-value and stylish vehicles.