Vintage Classic Jaguars - Old Jaguar Car History

Jaguar is one of the most distinguished automobile manufacturers in the world. It has produced lots of outstanding cars throughout its history. Vintage and classic Jaguars are highly prized automobiles in the classic car market. Collectors of old cars are willing to pay a fortune to own well-restored and rare Jaguars from the past. For decades, these cars have been synonymous with old-world British luxury, and they are admired for their elegant styling and superior performance. Even though another auto manufacturer presently owns the Jaguar manufacturer, its cars continue to display unmistakable English refinement. To appreciate the beauty and prestige of Jaguar cars, it is important for auto enthusiasts to know the history of the Jaguar manufacturer.

The first Jaguar automobile was built by SS Cars Ltd. in 1935. This company was previously known as Swallow Sidecar Company, and it was originally a manufacturer of aluminum sidecars for motorcycles. The founder of the company was Sir William Lyons. After World War II had ended, Lyons changed the company’s name to Jaguar, so that it would not be associated with the paramilitary organization of the Nazis, which was known by the same initials. The first car that was offered after the war was a luxury sedan called Mark V, which was released in 1948. In the same year, the company also introduced its first sports car, the XK 120. This car was named after its top speed of 120 mph, and it helped Jaguar gain a reputation as a formidable manufacturer of sports cars.

In the beginning of the 1950s, Jaguar started to export luxury cars to the US. It launched the Mark VII Saloon in 1951, and it became an instant hit. This car won the Monte Carlo Rally in 1956, and it was succeeded by the Mark VIII and IX in the following years. The 1960s was a golden decade for Jaguar, and it saw the introduction of some of the company’s finest models, including the E-Type Coupe, which was known as XK-E in the American market. The E-Type Coupe featured a perfect blend of refinement and performance, and it became an icon of motoring in the 1960s. Other models from this decade included the Mark X and S-Type.

Jaguar continued to enjoy great success in the 1970s with powerful coupes such as the XJ6C and XJ12C, as well as splendid grand tourer XJ-S. The XJ12 was fitted with a new V12 engine, and it became the fastest production sedan in its time. In the 1980s, the company brought performance to a new level by launching the XJ-S HE and the XJ220. The XJ220 was the first production Jaguar supercar, and it could reach a maximum speed of 217 mph. Later in the decade, Jaguar began to experience stiff competition from German auto manufacturers, and the sales of its cars were affected by unfavorable exchange rates. To deal with these adversities, the company started to look into the possibility of going into partnership with another automaker. In 1990, Ford completed a full buyout of the Jaguar manufacturer.

With Ford’s financial support and influence, two powerful Jaguar sports cars were released in 1997. These cars were the XK8 and the XKR, and were powered by the AJ-V8 engine. This engine was also used in some Land Rovers. Several years later, Jaguar’s traditional designs became less popular with car buyers, who were seeking more modern and cutting-edge designs. As a result, sales began to decline, and Ford decided to sell Jaguar to an Indian manufacturer called Tata in 2008. Under Tata, new models such as the XK and the XF are showing tremendous promise, as they feature a great blend of modern styling and classic charm.

Here are links to more information about Jaguar’s history:

• History of Jaguar: A comprehensive account of the history of Jaguar.

• Jaguar Through the Years: This web page contains information about Jaguar’s history as well as a list of cars produced over the years.

• Vintage and Classic Jaguars: Outstanding automobiles manufactured by Jaguar from 1940s to 1970s.

• Early Jaguar XKEs: Brief descriptions of the Jaguar’s Early XKEs.

• Jaguar XKE History: Article that relates the history of the iconic Jaguar XKE.

• The Jaguar XJS: Find out how the Jaguar XJS evolved over the years.

• The XJ220 Story: Discover the history of one of Jaguar’s great production cars, the XJ220.

• Classic Jaguar S-Type: Interesting information on the Jaguar S-Type of the 1960s.

• Tata Buys Jaguar: A news article that reveals how Indian company Tata acquired Jaguar.

• The Jaguar Mascots: Document that shows the different mascots that were used throughout the history of Jaguar.