Jaguar Cars

Jaguar’s business was founded as the Gulp Sidecar Company in 1922, originally making motorcycle sidecars before developing figures for passenger cars. Under the ownership of S. S. Cars Limited the business extended to accomplish cars made in association with Standard Motor Co, many bearing Jaguar as a model name. The company’s name was switched from S. S. Cars to Jaguar Cars in 1945. A merger with the British Motor Corporation followed in 1966, [Trio] the resulting enlarged company now being renamed as British Motor Holdings (BMH), which in one thousand nine hundred sixty eight merged with Leyland Motor Corporation and became British Leyland, itself to be nationalised in 1975.

Jaguar was de-merged from British Leyland and was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1984, becoming a constituent of the FTSE one hundred Index until it was acquired by Ford in 1990. [Four] Jaguar has, in latest years, manufactured cars for the British Prime Minister, the most latest delivery being an XJ in May 2010. [Five] The company also holds royal warrants from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles. [6]

Jaguar cars today are designed in Jaguar Land Rover’s engineering centres at the Whitley plant in Coventry and at their Gaydon site in Warwickshire, and are assembled in their plants at Castle Bromwich and Solihull.

In September two thousand thirteen Jaguar Land Rover announced plans to open a one hundred million GBP (160 million USD) research and development centre in the University of Warwick, Coventry to create a fresh generation of vehicle technologies. The carmaker said around 1,000 academics and engineers would work there and that construction would embark in 2014. [7] [8]

Birth of the cars

The Guzzle Sidecar Company was founded in one thousand nine hundred twenty two by two motorcycle enthusiasts, William Lyons and William Walmsley. In one thousand nine hundred thirty four Walmsley elected to sell-out and in order to buy the Guzzle business (but not the company which was liquidated) Lyons formed S.S. Cars Limited finding fresh capital by issuing shares to the public.

Jaguar very first appeared in September one thousand nine hundred thirty five as a model name on an SS 2½-litre sports saloon. [9] A matching open two seater sports model with a 3½-litre engine was named SS Jaguar 100.

On twenty three March one thousand nine hundred forty five the S. S. Cars shareholders in general meeting agreed to switch the company’s name to Jaguar Cars Limited. Said chairman William Lyons “Unlike S. S. the name Jaguar is distinctive and cannot be connected or confused with any similar foreign name.” [Ten]

Tho’ five years of pent-up request ensured slew of buyers production was hampered by shortage of materials, particularly steel, issued to manufacturers until the 1950s by a central planning authority under stringent government control. Jaguar sold Motor Panels, a pressed steel assets manufacturing company bought in the late 1930s, to steel and components manufacturer Rubery Owen, [11] and Jaguar bought from John Black’s Standard Motor Company the plant where Standard built Jaguar’s six-cylinder engines [11] From this time Jaguar was entirely dependent for their figures on outer suppliers, in particular then independent Pressed Steel and in one thousand nine hundred sixty six that carried them into BMC, BMH and British Leyland.

drophead coupé 1940

Jaguar made its name by producing a series of successful eye-catching sports cars, the Jaguar XK120 (1948–54), Jaguar XK140 (1954–57), Jaguar XK150 (1957–61), and Jaguar E-Type (1961-75), all embodying Lyons’ mantra of “value for money”. [12] The sports cars were successful in international motorsport, a path followed in the 1950s to prove the engineering integrity of the company’s products.

Jaguar’s sales slogan for years was “Grace, Space, Tempo”, [13] a mantra epitomised by the record sales achieved by the MK VII, IX, Mks I and II saloons and later the XJ6. [ citation needed ] During the time this slogan was used, but the exact text varied. [14] [15] [16] [17]

The core of Bill Lyons’ success following WWII was the twin-cam straight six engine, conceived pre-war and realised while engineers at the Coventry plant were dividing their time inbetween fire-watching and designing the fresh power plant. It had a hemispherical cross-flow cylinder head with valves inclined from the vertical; originally at thirty degrees (inlet) and forty five degrees (harass) and later standardised to forty five degrees for both inlet and harass.

As fuel octane ratings were relatively low from one thousand nine hundred forty eight onwards, three piston configuration were suggested: domed (high octane), vapid (medium octane), and dished (low octane).

The main designer, William “Bill” Heynes, assisted by Walter “Wally” Hassan, was determined to develop the Twin OHC unit. Bill Lyons agreed over misgivings from Hassan. It was risky to take what had previously been considered a racing or low-volume and cantankerous engine needing constant fettling and apply it to reasonable volume production saloon cars.

The subsequent engine (in various versions) was the mainstay powerplant of Jaguar, used in the XK 120, Mk VII Saloon, Mk I and II Saloons and XK one hundred forty and 150. It was also employed in the E Type, itself a development from the race winning and Le Guy’s conquering C and D Type Sports Racing cars refined as the short-lived XKSS, a road-legal D-Type.

Few engine types have demonstrated such ubiquity and longevity: Jaguar used the Twin OHC XK Engine, as it came to be known, in the Jaguar XJ6 saloon from one thousand nine hundred sixty nine through 1992, and employed in a J60 variant as the power plant in such diverse vehicles as the British Army’s Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) family of vehicles, as well as the Fox armoured reconnaissance vehicle, the Ferret Scout Car, and the Stonefield four-wheel-drive all-terrain lorry. Decently maintained, the standard production XK Engine would achieve 200,000 miles of useful life.

Two of the proudest moments in Jaguar’s long history in motor sport involved winning the Le Stud’s twenty four hours race, firstly in one thousand nine hundred fifty one and again in 1953. Victory at the one thousand nine hundred fifty five Le Stud’s was overshadowed by it being the occasion of the worst motorsport accident in history. Later in the arms of the Scottish racing team Ecurie Ecosse two more wins were added in one thousand nine hundred fifty six and 1957.

In spite of such a spectacle orientation, it was always Lyons’ intention to build the business by producing world-class sporting saloons in larger numbers than the sports car market could support. Jaguar secured financial stability and a reputation for excellence with a series of elegantly styled luxury saloons that included the 3-litre and 3½ litre cars, the Mark VII, VIII, and IX, the compact Mark I and Two, and the XJ6 and XJ12. All were deemed very good values, with convenient rails, good treating, high spectacle, and superb style.

Combined with the trend-setting XK 120, XK 140, and XK one hundred fifty series of sports car, and nonpareil E-Type, [ citation needed ] Jaguar’s elan as a prestige motorcar manufacturer had few rivals. The company’s post-War achievements are remarkable, considering both the shortages that drove Britain (the Ministry of Supply still allocated raw materials) and the state of metallurgical development of the era.

In 1950, Jaguar agreed to lease from the Ministry of Supply the Daimler Shadow two factory in Browns Lane, Allesley, Coventry, which at the time was being used by The Daimler Company Limited and moved to the fresh site from Foleshill over the next twelve months. [Legal] Jaguar purchased Daimler – not to be confused with Daimler-Benz or Daimler AG—in one thousand nine hundred sixty from BSA. From the late 1960s, Jaguar used the Daimler marque as a brand name for their most luxurious saloons. [Nineteen]

An end to independence

Pressed Steel Company Limited made all Jaguar’s (monocoque) figures leaving provision and installation of the mechanicals to Jaguar. In mid-1965 British Motor Corporation (BMC), the Austin-Morris combine, bought Pressed Steel. [20] Lyons became worried about the future of Jaguar, partly because of the threat to ongoing supplies of bods, and partly because of his age and lack of an heir. He therefore accepted BMC’s suggest to merge with Jaguar to form British Motor (Holdings) Limited. [21] At a press conference on eleven July one thousand nine hundred sixty five at the Good Eastern Hotel in London, Lyons and BMC chairman George Harriman announced, “Jaguar Group of companies is to merge with The British Motor Corporation Ltd., as the very first step towards the setting up of a joint holding company to be called British Motor (Holdings) Limited”. In due course BMC switched its name to British Motor Holdings [22] at the end of 1966.

BMH was shoved by the Government to merge with Leyland Motor Corporation Limited, manufacturer of Leyland bus and truck, Standard-Triumph and, since 1967, Rover vehicles. The result was British Leyland Motor Corporation, a fresh holding company which appeared in 1968, but the combination was not a success. A combination of poor decision making by the board along with the financial difficulties of, especially, the Austin-Morris division (previously BMC) led to the Ryder Report and to effective nationalisation in 1975. [ citation needed ]

Makeshift comeback to independence

Over the next few years it became clear that because of the low regard for many of the group’s products insufficient capital could be provided to develop and begin manufacture of fresh models, including Jaguars, particularly if Jaguar were to remain a part of the group. [23]

In July 1984, Jaguar was floated off as a separate company on the stock market – one of the Thatcher government’s many privatisations [24] – to create its own track record. [25]

Installed as chairman in 1980, Tormentor John Egan is credited for Jaguar’s unprecedented prosperity instantly after privatisation. In early one thousand nine hundred eighty six Egan reported he had tackled the main problems that were holding Jaguar back from selling more cars: quality control, lagging delivery schedules, poor productivity. He laid off about one third of the company’s harshly Ten,000 employees to cut costs. [26] Commentators later pointed out he exploited an elderly model range (on which all development costs had been written off) and raised prices. He also intensified the effort to improve Jaguar’s quality. In the US the price increases were masked by a favourable exchange rate. [27]

Ford Motor Company era

Ford made offers to Jaguar’s US and UK shareholders to buy their shares in November 1989; Jaguar’s listing on the London Stock Exchange was liquidated on twenty eight February 1990. [28] In one thousand nine hundred ninety nine it became part of Ford’s fresh Premier Automotive Group along with Aston Martin, Volvo Cars and, from 2000, Land Rover. Under Ford’s ownership, Jaguar never made a profit. [29]

Under Ford’s ownership Jaguar expanded its range of products with the launch of the S-Type in one thousand nine hundred ninety nine and X-type in 2001. After Land Rover’s May two thousand purchase by Ford, it became closely associated with Jaguar. In many countries they collective a common sales and distribution network (including collective dealerships), and some models collective components, albeit the only collective production facility was Halewood Figure & Assembly, for the X-Type and the Freelander Two. However operationally the two companies were effectively integrated under a common management structure within Ford’s PAG.

On eleven June 2007, Ford announced that it planned to sell Jaguar, along with Land Rover and retained the services of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and HSBC to advise it on the deal. The sale was originally expected to be announced by September 2007, but was delayed until March 2008. Private equity firms such as Alchemy Fucking partners of the UK, TPG Capital, Ripplewood Holdings (which hired former Ford Europe executive Master Nick Scheele to head its bid), Cerberus Capital Management and One Equity Fucking partners (wielded by JP Morgan Pursue and managed by former Ford executive Jacques Nasser) of the US, Tata Motors of India and a consortium comprising Mahindra and Mahindra (an automobile manufacturer from India) and Apollo Management all primarily voiced interest in purchasing the marques from the Ford Motor Company. [30] [31]

Before the sale was announced, Anthony Bamford, chairman of British excavator manufacturer JCB had voiced interest in purchasing the company in August 2006, [32] but backed out upon learning that the sale would also involve Land Rover, which he did not wish to buy. On Christmas Eve of 2007, Mahindra and Mahindra backed out of the race for both brands, citing complexities in the deal. [33]

Tata Motors era

On one January 2008, Ford formally proclaimed that Tata was the preferred bidder. [34] Tata Motors also received endorsements from the Transport And General Worker’s Union (TGWU)-Amicus [35] combine as well as from Ford. [36] According to the rules of the auction process, this announcement would not automatically disqualify any other potential suitor. However, Ford (as well as representatives of Unite) would now be able to come in into detailed discussions with Tata concerning issues ranging from labour concerns (job security and pensions), technology (IT systems and engine production) and intellectual property, [37] as well as the final sale price. [38] Ford would also open its books for a more comprehensive due diligence by Tata. [39] On eighteen March 2008, Reuters reported that American bankers Citigroup and JP Morgan would finance the deal with a USD three billion loan. [40]

On twenty six March 2008, Ford announced that it had agreed to sell its Jaguar and Land Rover operations to Tata Motors of India, and that they expected to finish the sale by the end of the 2nd quarter of 2008. [41] Included in the deal were the rights to three other British brands, Jaguar’s own Daimler, as well as two dormant brands Lanchester and Rover. [42] On two June 2008, the sale to Tata was finished at a cost of £1.7 billion. [43] [44] [45]

Assembly plant

The Gulp Sidecar company (SSC) was originally located in Blackpool but moved to Holbrook Lane, Coventry in one thousand nine hundred twenty eight when request for the Austin Guzzle became too excellent for the factory’s capacity. [46] In 1951, having outgrown the original Coventry site they moved to Browns Lane, which had been a wartime “shadow factory” run by The Daimler Company. Today, Jaguars are assembled at Castle Bromwich in Birmingham. The historic Browns Lane plant ceased trim and final operations in 2005, the X350 XJ having already moved to Castle Bromwich two years prior, leaving the XK and S-Type production to Castle Bromwich

In 2000, Ford turned its Halewood plant over to Jaguar following the discontinuation of its long running Escort that year for Jaguar’s fresh X-Type model. It was later joined by the second-generation Land Rover Freelander Two, from 2007. Jaguars ceased being produced at Halewood in two thousand nine following the discontinuation of the X-Type; Halewood now becoming a Land Rover-only plant.

A diminished Browns Lane site operates today, producing veneers for Jaguar Land Rover and others, as well as some engineering facilities. A fresh assembly plant was opened at Pune, India in April 2011.

Jaguar will begin producing the Jaguar XE – the replacement for the X-Type – at Land Rover’s Solihull plant in 2015, the very first non-4×4 passenger car to be produced at the plant since the Rover SD1 in the late 1970s.

F-Type

The F-Type convertible was launched at the two thousand twelve Paris Motor Showcase, following its display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June 2012, [47] and is billed as a successor to the legendary E-Type. In fact, the Series III E-Type already had a successor, in the form of the XJS, which was in turn substituted by the XK8 and XKR. The F-Type nevertheless comebacks to the 2-seat plan that was lost with the introduction of the Series III E-Type, which was available only in a Two+2-seat configuration. It was developed following the positive reaction to Jaguar’s C-X16 concept car at the two thousand eleven Frankfurt Auto Demonstrate. Sales will begin in two thousand thirteen with three engine choices; two variants of the AJ126 V6 petrol engine and the AJ133 V8 petrol engine. [48]

The XE is the very first compact executive Jaguar since the two thousand nine model year X-Type and is the very first of several Jaguar models to be built using Jaguar’s fresh modular aluminium architecture, [ citation needed ] moving the company away from the Ford derived platforms that were used in the past for the X-Type and XF. The use of Jaguar’s own platform permits the XE to feature either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive configurations, and it is the very first car in its segment with an aluminium monocoque structure. [49] Originally announced at the two thousand fourteen Geneva Motor Demonstrate with sales scheduled for 2015. [50]

The Jaguar XF is a mid-size executive car introduced in two thousand eight to substitute the S-Type. 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 two thousand eight from What Diesel? magazine. Engines available in the XF are Two.2-litre I4 and Trio.0-litre V6 diesel engines, or Trio.0 litre V6 and Five.0-litre V8 petrol engines. The Five.0 Litre engine is available in supercharged form in the XFR. From 2011, the Two.2-litre diesel engine from the Land Rover Freelander was added to the range as part of a facelift. [51]

The Jaguar XJ is a full-size luxury saloon. The model has been in production since one thousand nine hundred sixty eight with the very first generation being the last Jaguar car to have creative input by the company’s founder, Master 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 downright re-engineered. Its styling attracted much criticism from many motoring journalists who claimed that the car looked old-fashioned and hardly more modern than its predecessor, many even citing that the ‘Lyons line’ had been lost in the translation from Mark two into Mark three XJ, even tho’ underneath the shell lay a very advanced aluminium construction that put the XJ very near the top of its class. [52]

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. [53]

The 5-litre V8 engine in the XJ Supersport can accelerate the car from zero to sixty mph (0–97 km/h) in Four.7 seconds, and has a UK CO2 emission rating of two hundred eighty nine g/km. To cater to the limousine market, all XJ models are suggested with a longer wheelbase (LWB) as an option, which increases the rear legroom. [54]

Jaguar began producing R models in one thousand nine hundred ninety five with the introduction of the very first XJR. Powered by a supercharged 6-cylinder engine, the car produced approximately three hundred twenty two horsepower. With the revamped line of engines, the powerplant would be based on an eight-cylinder engine with supercharger from one thousand nine hundred ninety seven to present. The 1997–2003 XJR produced three hundred seventy horsepower (276 kW) and three hundred eighty five pound-feet (522 N·m) of torque, taking the car to sixty mph (97 km/h) in five seconds. The fresh aluminium bodyshell from two thousand four to two thousand nine and enlargened power to four hundred hp (298 kW) and enhanced computer systems decreased the time to sixty mph (97 km/h) to Four.8 seconds. Beginning after year 2000, XJRs were tooled with Jaguar’s CATS (Computer Active Technology Suspension), which helped rigid up the rail in sporty driving without compromising convenience during day-to-day use.

The very first XKR was introduced in one thousand nine hundred ninety seven and kept with the same power increases as the XJR except for after two thousand six the power in the XKR was boosted to four hundred twenty hp (313 kW). The S-Type R had a brief production run from two thousand three to 2008, and came tooled with the same four hundred horsepower (298 kW) supercharged V8 as the other R models. It was substituted by the XFR, featuring a Five.0 L supercharged V8 producing five hundred ten hp (380 kW).

Jaguar XFR five hundred ten hp (380 kW) mid-size saloon [55]
Jaguar XKR five hundred ten hp (380 kW) coupé and cabriolet [55]
Jaguar XFR-S five hundred fifty hp (410 kW) mid-size saloon [56]
Jaguar XKR-S five hundred fifty hp (410 kW) coupé and cabriolet [55]
Jaguar XJR
Jaguar F-Type R five hundred fifty hp (410 kW) coupé

After years of speculation, Jaguar designer Ian Callum confirmed in early two thousand twelve that there would not be a Jaguar SUV, but suggested that he may be designing a crossover for Jaguar. [57] In two thousand thirteen Jaguar announced the C-X17 concept, and in January two thousand fifteen announced the Jaguar F-Pace, due for a two thousand fifteen debut prior to going on sale in 2016. It will incorporate many cues from the C-X17 concept as the first-ever Jaguar crossover.

Latest

The Jaguar S-Type, very first appeared in one thousand nine hundred ninety nine and stopped production in 2008. It has now been substituted by the Jaguar XF. Early S-Types suffered from reliability problems but those were mostly resolved by the two thousand four model year. [58]

The Jaguar X-Type was a compact executive car launched in 2001, while the company was under Ford ownership. Sharing its platform with a two thousand Ford Mondeo, the X-Type ceased production in 2009. [59]

The Jaguar XK is a luxury grand tourer introduced in 2006, where it substituted the XK8. The XK introduced an aluminium monocoque bodyshell, and was available both as a two-door coupé and two-door cabriolet/convertible. [60] Production ceased in 2014.

Historic

The re-named Jaguar company commenced production with the pre-war 1.Five, Two.Five and Trio.5-litre models, which used engines designed by the Standard Motor Company. The 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine was still supplied by Standard but the two larger six-cylinder ones were made in house. These cars have become known unofficially as Mark IVs.

The very first post-war model was the September one thousand nine hundred forty eight Mark V available with either Two.5- or Trio.5-litre engines. It had a slightly more streamlined appearance than pre-war models, but more significant was the switch to torsion bar independent front suspension and hydraulic brakes. [ citation needed ] In the spring of one thousand nine hundred forty eight Lyons had returned from USA reporting Jaguar’s individuality and perceived quality attracted the admiration of American buyers acquainted to the virtual uniformity of their home-grown vehicles. [61]

The very first big breakthrough was the launch in October one thousand nine hundred forty eight of their fresh record-breaking engine design in their XK120 sportscar to substitute the prewar SS Jaguar 100. It was powered by a fresh twin overhead camshaft (DOHC) Three.5-litre hemi-head six-cylinder engine designed by William Heynes, Walter Hassan and Claude Baily. The XK100 4-cylinder 2-Litre version had cracked records in Belgium travelling at one hundred seventy seven mph. This XK engine had been designed at night during the war when they would be on fire witness in the factory. After several attempts a final design was achieved. That is until holder William Lyons said “make it quieter”.

The sportscar bearing its prefix X had originally been intended as a brief production model of about two hundred vehicles. A test bed for the fresh engine until its intended home, the fresh Mark VII saloon, was ready. [ citation needed ]

The 2nd big breakthrough was the large Mark VII saloon in 1950, a car especially conceived for the American market, Jaguar was dazed with orders. The Mark VII and its successors gathered rave reviews from magazines such as Road & Track and The Motor. In one thousand nine hundred fifty six a Mark VII won the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally. The XK120’s exceptional reception was followed in one thousand nine hundred fifty four by an improved XK140 then in May one thousand nine hundred fifty seven a fully revised XK150.

In 1955, the Two-point-four or Two.4-litre saloon (named by enthusiasts Two.Four Mark 1) was the very first monocoque (unitary) car from Jaguar. [ citation needed ] Its Two.4-litre short-stroke version of the XK engine provided one hundred mph (160 km/h) spectacle. In 1957, the Three.4-litre version with disk brakes, wire wheels and other options was introduced, with a top speed of one hundred twenty mph (190 km/h). In October 1959, an extensively revised version of the car with broader windows and Two.Four, Three.Four, and Trio.8-litre engine options became the Mark Two. The Three.8 Mark two was popular with British police compels for its puny size and one hundred twenty five mph (201 km/h) spectacle.

The Mark VIII of one thousand nine hundred fifty six and Mark IX of one thousand nine hundred fifty eight were essentially updates of the Mark VII, but the over-size Mark X of one thousand nine hundred sixty one was a downright fresh design of large saloon with all round independent suspension and unitary construction.

Jaguar launched the E-Type in 1961.

The independent rear suspension from the Mark X was incorporated in the one thousand nine hundred sixty three S-Type, a Mark two lengthened to contain the elaborate rear suspension, and in one thousand nine hundred sixty seven the Mark two name was dropped when the petite saloons became the 240/340 range. The four hundred twenty of 1966, also sold as the Daimler Sovereign, put a fresh front onto the S-type, albeit both cars continued in parallel until the S-Type was dropped in 1968. The slow-selling Mark X became the 420G in one thousand nine hundred sixty six and was dropped at the end of the decade. Jaguar was saved by its fresh identically capacious but very much trimmer fresh XJ6.

Of the more latest saloons, the most significant is the XJ (1968–1992). From one thousand nine hundred sixty eight on, the Series I XJ eyed minor switches, very first in one thousand nine hundred seventy three (to Series II), one thousand nine hundred seventy nine (Series III), a finish redesign for 1986/1987 in XJ40, further modifications in one thousand nine hundred ninety five (X300), in one thousand nine hundred ninety seven with V8-power (X308), and a major advance in two thousand three with an industry-first aluminium monocoque-chassis (X350). The most luxurious XJ models carried either the Vanden Plas (US) or Daimler (rest of world) nameplates. In 1972, the 12-cylinder engine was introduced in the XJ, while at the same time being suggested in the E Type.

1992 witnessed the introduction of the mid-engined, twin-turbo XJ220, powered by a five hundred forty two bhp (404 kW; five hundred fifty PS) V6 engine. The XJ220 was confirmed the fastest production car in the world at the time after Martin Brundle recorded a speed of two hundred seventeen mph (349 km/h) on the Nardo track in Italy. [62]

Over the years many Jaguar models have sported the famous chrome plated Leaping Jaguar, traditionally forming part of the radiator cap. Known as “The Leaper” this iconic mascot has been the subject of controversy in latest times when banned for safety reasons from cars supplied to Europe whilst it continued to be fitted on cars destined for the United States, Middle East and Far East. It has now been dropped from all the latest Jaguar models, albeit some customers add it to their car as a customization.

Jaguar Cars

Jaguar’s business was founded as the Gulp Sidecar Company in 1922, originally making motorcycle sidecars before developing bods for passenger cars. Under the ownership of S. S. Cars Limited the business extended to accomplish cars made in association with Standard Motor Co, many bearing Jaguar as a model name. The company’s name was switched from S. S. Cars to Jaguar Cars in 1945. A merger with the British Motor Corporation followed in 1966, [Trio] the resulting enlarged company now being renamed as British Motor Holdings (BMH), which in one thousand nine hundred sixty eight merged with Leyland Motor Corporation and became British Leyland, itself to be nationalised in 1975.

Birth of the cars

However five years of pent-up request ensured slew of buyers production was hampered by shortage of materials, particularly steel, issued to manufacturers until the 1950s by a central planning authority under stringent government control. Jaguar sold Motor Panels, a pressed steel figure manufacturing company bought in the late 1930s, to steel and components manufacturer Rubery Owen, [11] and Jaguar bought from John Black’s Standard Motor Company the plant where Standard built Jaguar’s six-cylinder engines [11] From this time Jaguar was entirely dependent for their figures on outer suppliers, in particular then independent Pressed Steel and in one thousand nine hundred sixty six that carried them into BMC, BMH and British Leyland.

drophead coupé 1940

The subsequent engine (in various versions) was the mainstay powerplant of Jaguar, used in the XK 120, Mk VII Saloon, Mk I and II Saloons and XK one hundred forty and 150. It was also employed in the E Type, itself a development from the race winning and Le Stud’s conquering C and D Type Sports Racing cars refined as the short-lived XKSS, a road-legal D-Type.

Two of the proudest moments in Jaguar’s long history in motor sport involved winning the Le Stud’s twenty four hours race, firstly in one thousand nine hundred fifty one and again in 1953. Victory at the one thousand nine hundred fifty five Le Guy’s was overshadowed by it being the occasion of the worst motorsport accident in history. Later in the arms of the Scottish racing team Ecurie Ecosse two more wins were added in one thousand nine hundred fifty six and 1957.

In spite of such a spectacle orientation, it was always Lyons’ intention to build the business by producing world-class sporting saloons in larger numbers than the sports car market could support. Jaguar secured financial stability and a reputation for excellence with a series of elegantly styled luxury saloons that included the 3-litre and 3½ litre cars, the Mark VII, VIII, and IX, the compact Mark I and Two, and the XJ6 and XJ12. All were deemed very good values, with comfy rails, good treating, high spectacle, and excellent style.

In 1950, Jaguar agreed to lease from the Ministry of Supply the Daimler Shadow two factory in Browns Lane, Allesley, Coventry, which at the time was being used by The Daimler Company Limited and moved to the fresh site from Foleshill over the next twelve months. [Eighteen] Jaguar purchased Daimler – not to be confused with Daimler-Benz or Daimler AG—in one thousand nine hundred sixty from BSA. From the late 1960s, Jaguar used the Daimler marque as a brand name for their most luxurious saloons. [Nineteen]

An end to independence

Pressed Steel Company Limited made all Jaguar’s (monocoque) figures leaving provision and installation of the mechanicals to Jaguar. In mid-1965 British Motor Corporation (BMC), the Austin-Morris combine, bought Pressed Steel. [20] Lyons became worried about the future of Jaguar, partly because of the threat to ongoing supplies of figures, and partly because of his age and lack of an heir. He therefore accepted BMC’s suggest to merge with Jaguar to form British Motor (Holdings) Limited. [21] At a press conference on eleven July one thousand nine hundred sixty five at the Excellent Eastern Hotel in London, Lyons and BMC chairman George Harriman announced, “Jaguar Group of companies is to merge with The British Motor Corporation Ltd., as the very first step towards the setting up of a joint holding company to be called British Motor (Holdings) Limited”. In due course BMC switched its name to British Motor Holdings [22] at the end of 1966.

Makeshift comeback to independence

In July 1984, Jaguar was floated off as a separate company on the stock market – one of the Thatcher government’s many privatisations [24] – to create its own track record. [25]

Installed as chairman in 1980, Master John Egan is credited for Jaguar’s unprecedented prosperity instantaneously after privatisation. In early one thousand nine hundred eighty six Egan reported he had tackled the main problems that were holding Jaguar back from selling more cars: quality control, lagging delivery schedules, poor productivity. He laid off about one third of the company’s harshly Ten,000 employees to cut costs. [26] Commentators later pointed out he exploited an elderly model range (on which all development costs had been written off) and raised prices. He also intensified the effort to improve Jaguar’s quality. In the US the price increases were masked by a favourable exchange rate. [27]

Ford Motor Company era

Ford made offers to Jaguar’s US and UK shareholders to buy their shares in November 1989; Jaguar’s listing on the London Stock Exchange was eliminated on twenty eight February 1990. [28] In one thousand nine hundred ninety nine it became part of Ford’s fresh Premier Automotive Group along with Aston Martin, Volvo Cars and, from 2000, Land Rover. Under Ford’s ownership, Jaguar never made a profit. [29]

Under Ford’s ownership Jaguar expanded its range of products with the launch of the S-Type in one thousand nine hundred ninety nine and X-type in 2001. After Land Rover’s May two thousand purchase by Ford, it became closely associated with Jaguar. In many countries they collective a common sales and distribution network (including collective dealerships), and some models collective components, albeit the only collective production facility was Halewood Bod & Assembly, for the X-Type and the Freelander Two. However operationally the two companies were effectively integrated under a common management structure within Ford’s PAG.

On eleven June 2007, Ford announced that it planned to sell Jaguar, along with Land Rover and retained the services of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and HSBC to advise it on the deal. The sale was originally expected to be announced by September 2007, but was delayed until March 2008. Private equity firms such as Alchemy Playmates of the UK, TPG Capital, Ripplewood Holdings (which hired former Ford Europe executive Master Nick Scheele to head its bid), Cerberus Capital Management and One Equity Fucking partners (wielded by JP Morgan Pursue and managed by former Ford executive Jacques Nasser) of the US, Tata Motors of India and a consortium comprising Mahindra and Mahindra (an automobile manufacturer from India) and Apollo Management all primarily voiced interest in purchasing the marques from the Ford Motor Company. [30] [31]

Tata Motors era

Assembly plant

The Guzzle Sidecar company (SSC) was originally located in Blackpool but moved to Holbrook Lane, Coventry in one thousand nine hundred twenty eight when request for the Austin Guzzle became too superb for the factory’s capacity. [46] In 1951, having outgrown the original Coventry site they moved to Browns Lane, which had been a wartime “shadow factory” run by The Daimler Company. Today, Jaguars are assembled at Castle Bromwich in Birmingham. The historic Browns Lane plant ceased trim and final operations in 2005, the X350 XJ having already moved to Castle Bromwich two years prior, leaving the XK and S-Type production to Castle Bromwich

F-Type

The F-Type convertible was launched at the two thousand twelve Paris Motor Showcase, following its display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June 2012, [47] and is billed as a successor to the legendary E-Type. In fact, the Series III E-Type already had a successor, in the form of the XJS, which was in turn substituted by the XK8 and XKR. The F-Type nevertheless comebacks to the 2-seat plan that was lost with the introduction of the Series III E-Type, which was available only in a Two+2-seat configuration. It was developed following the positive reaction to Jaguar’s C-X16 concept car at the two thousand eleven Frankfurt Auto Showcase. Sales will begin in two thousand thirteen with three engine choices; two variants of the AJ126 V6 petrol engine and the AJ133 V8 petrol engine. [48]

The Jaguar XF is a mid-size executive car introduced in two thousand eight to substitute the S-Type. 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 two thousand eight from What Diesel? magazine. Engines available in the XF are Two.2-litre I4 and Three.0-litre V6 diesel engines, or Three.0 litre V6 and Five.0-litre V8 petrol engines. The Five.0 Litre engine is available in supercharged form in the XFR. From 2011, the Two.2-litre diesel engine from the Land Rover Freelander was added to the range as part of a facelift. [51]

The Jaguar XJ is a full-size luxury saloon. The model has been in production since one thousand nine hundred sixty eight with the very first generation being the last Jaguar car to have creative input by the company’s founder, Tormentor 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 entirely re-engineered. Its styling attracted much criticism from many motoring journalists who claimed that the car looked old-fashioned and slightly more modern than its predecessor, many even citing that the ‘Lyons line’ had been lost in the translation from Mark two into Mark three XJ, even tho’ underneath the shell lay a very advanced aluminium construction that put the XJ very near the top of its class. [52]

Jaguar began producing R models in one thousand nine hundred ninety five with the introduction of the very first XJR. Powered by a supercharged 6-cylinder engine, the car produced approximately three hundred twenty two horsepower. With the revamped line of engines, the powerplant would be based on an eight-cylinder engine with supercharger from one thousand nine hundred ninety seven to present. The 1997–2003 XJR produced three hundred seventy horsepower (276 kW) and three hundred eighty five pound-feet (522 N·m) of torque, taking the car to sixty mph (97 km/h) in five seconds. The fresh aluminium bodyshell from two thousand four to two thousand nine and enlargened power to four hundred hp (298 kW) and enhanced computer systems decreased the time to sixty mph (97 km/h) to Four.8 seconds. Embarking after year 2000, XJRs were tooled with Jaguar’s CATS (Computer Active Technology Suspension), which helped rock hard up the rail in sporty driving without compromising convenience during day-to-day use.

Jaguar XFR five hundred ten hp (380 kW) mid-size saloon [55]
Jaguar XKR five hundred ten hp (380 kW) coupé and cabriolet [55]
Jaguar XFR-S five hundred fifty hp (410 kW) mid-size saloon [56]
Jaguar XKR-S five hundred fifty hp (410 kW) coupé and cabriolet [55]
Jaguar XJR
Jaguar F-Type R five hundred fifty hp (410 kW) coupé

Latest

Historic

The re-named Jaguar company embarked production with the pre-war 1.Five, Two.Five and Three.5-litre models, which used engines designed by the Standard Motor Company. The 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine was still supplied by Standard but the two larger six-cylinder ones were made in house. These cars have become known unofficially as Mark IVs.

The very first post-war model was the September one thousand nine hundred forty eight Mark V available with either Two.5- or Trio.5-litre engines. It had a slightly more streamlined appearance than pre-war models, but more significant was the switch to torsion bar independent front suspension and hydraulic brakes. [ citation needed ] In the spring of one thousand nine hundred forty eight Lyons had returned from USA reporting Jaguar’s individuality and perceived quality attracted the admiration of American buyers habitual to the virtual uniformity of their home-grown vehicles. [61]

The very first big breakthrough was the launch in October one thousand nine hundred forty eight of their fresh record-breaking engine design in their XK120 sportscar to substitute the prewar SS Jaguar 100. It was powered by a fresh twin overhead camshaft (DOHC) Three.5-litre hemi-head six-cylinder engine designed by William Heynes, Walter Hassan and Claude Baily. The XK100 4-cylinder 2-Litre version had cracked records in Belgium travelling at one hundred seventy seven mph. This XK engine had been designed at night during the war when they would be on fire see in the factory. After several attempts a final design was achieved. That is until proprietor William Lyons said “make it quieter”.

In 1955, the Two-point-four or Two.4-litre saloon (named by enthusiasts Two.Four Mark 1) was the very first monocoque (unitary) car from Jaguar. [ citation needed ] Its Two.4-litre short-stroke version of the XK engine provided one hundred mph (160 km/h) spectacle. In 1957, the Three.4-litre version with disk brakes, wire wheels and other options was introduced, with a top speed of one hundred twenty mph (190 km/h). In October 1959, an extensively revised version of the car with broader windows and Two.Four, Trio.Four, and Three.8-litre engine options became the Mark Two. The Three.8 Mark two was popular with British police compels for its puny size and one hundred twenty five mph (201 km/h) spectacle.

The Mark VIII of one thousand nine hundred fifty six and Mark IX of one thousand nine hundred fifty eight were essentially updates of the Mark VII, but the over-size Mark X of one thousand nine hundred sixty one was a totally fresh design of large saloon with all round independent suspension and unitary construction.

Jaguar launched the E-Type in 1961.

The independent rear suspension from the Mark X was incorporated in the one thousand nine hundred sixty three S-Type, a Mark two lengthened to contain the complicated rear suspension, and in one thousand nine hundred sixty seven the Mark two name was dropped when the petite saloons became the 240/340 range. The four hundred twenty of 1966, also sold as the Daimler Sovereign, put a fresh front onto the S-type, albeit both cars continued in parallel until the S-Type was dropped in 1968. The slow-selling Mark X became the 420G in one thousand nine hundred sixty six and was dropped at the end of the decade. Jaguar was saved by its fresh identically capacious but very much trimmer fresh XJ6.

Of the more latest saloons, the most significant is the XJ (1968–1992). From one thousand nine hundred sixty eight on, the Series I XJ spotted minor switches, very first in one thousand nine hundred seventy three (to Series II), one thousand nine hundred seventy nine (Series III), a accomplish redesign for 1986/1987 in XJ40, further modifications in one thousand nine hundred ninety five (X300), in one thousand nine hundred ninety seven with V8-power (X308), and a major advance in two thousand three with an industry-first aluminium monocoque-chassis (X350). The most luxurious XJ models carried either the Vanden Plas (US) or Daimler (rest of world) nameplates. In 1972, the 12-cylinder engine was introduced in the XJ, while at the same time being suggested in the E Type.

1992 spotted the introduction of the mid-engined, twin-turbo XJ220, powered by a five hundred forty two bhp (404 kW; five hundred fifty PS) V6 engine. The XJ220 was confirmed the fastest production car in the world at the time after Martin Brundle recorded a speed of two hundred seventeen mph (349 km/h) on the Nardo track in Italy. [62]

Jaguar Cars

Jaguar Cars

Contents

Birth of the cars

An end to independence

Makeshift comeback to independence

Ford Motor Company era

Tata Motors era

Assembly plant

F-Type

Latest

Historic

Jaguar Cars

Contents

Birth of the cars

An end to independence

Makeshift comeback to independence

Ford Motor Company era

Tata Motors era

Assembly plant

F-Type

Latest

Historic

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