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The History of Jaguar
On September 4, 1922, in Blackpool, England, two young motorcycle enthusiasts, William Lyons and William Walmsley, set up the Swallow Sidecar. Company to produce sidecars for motorcycles. The company continued to make sidecars until the advent of WWII.
In 1926, the company built the small Austin Seven. At this point, the company changed its name to the Swallow Sidecar and Coachbuilding Co. and moved to a larger manufacturing space. There it made custom bodies for such cars as Morris, Fiat, Wolseley, Swift, and Standard.
The name Jaguar was used for the first time in 1935. Also, in 1935, William Heynes joined the company as chief engineer.
Jaguar’s production included limousines, convertibles, and sports cars fitted with 1.5-litre, 2.5-litre, and 3.5-litre engines. The most notable vehicle of the period was the 3.5-litre SS 100 model. This was the fastest and most famous pre-war Jaguar, with speeds of 100 mph and acceleration from rest to 60 mph in about 10.5 seconds.
During WWII, production shifted to the war effort. After the war, the company’s name was changed to Jaguar Cars Ltd. and production resumed. The first Jaguars were produced with the option of left-side driving controls! In 1946, in addition to updating the older models, a new sports car was developed, the XK 120, which was inspired by the BMW 328 model and fitted with a six-cylinder x 2 OHC engine with a capacity of 3442 cc. In 1948, Jaguar introduced the fastest motorcar to date, the XK 120 Roadster, with an alleged top speed of 120 mph. In 1951, The XK 120 Fixed Head Coupe was introduced. This touring car was better trimmed with a veneer dashboard, and wind-up door windows. In 1953, the XK 120 Drophead Coupe was introduced with a fully trimmed convertible hood. The XK 120 proved to be a super competition car. In 1954, the XK 140 included rack-and-pinion steering, larger bumpers, extra chrome, a cast grill, and 190 hp. The XK 140 also had room for very small children behind the seat. In 1957, the Jaguar XK 150 came in with a low roar because the XK design was looking slightly outdated. This excellent car, however, was produced until 1961.
In the mid-fifties, Jaguar had reached a point in its history of selling only luxury and sports vehicles. The company also sold a great deal of its production in foreign markets. Looking to increase their market share, Jaguar produced a car that could be sold at home and to a larger market. The Jaguar MK I was introduced at the 1955 Motor Show to garner market share.
The Jaguar MK II evolved as an instant success; improvements included a much larger glass area and a redesigned dash. Leather seats were fitted as standard until 1967 when leather became optional to keep the base cost down. Another Jaguar classic, its fog and spotlights, also became optional at this time. Several other Jaguar variations were produced to fill a market gap between the 3.8S and the large MK X Jaguar.
In 1960, Jaguar bought Daimler. In 1966, Sir William Lyons stepped down as Managing Director of the Jaguar Group, but he remained Chairman and Chief Executive. On July 11, 1966, Jaguar Cars Ltd. and the British Motor Corporation Ltd. announced they would merge. By the mid-60s, they determined that Jaguar was making too many models. In 1968, a merger with Leyland formed the largest British car complex.
In 1972, Sir William Lyons retired, 50 years after forming Swallow Sidecar Company. His retirement was followed by a period of confusion and confusing changes at Jaguar. Whole departments, such as sales and service, disappeared into BL power. The Ryder report, partially published in 1975, made it clear that Jaguar would not continue as an entity. Leyland Cars was formed and the brand new Jaguar XJ-S was thrown in with BL’s other Earls Courts motor show offerings.
There was no single headman at Jaguar and the winter of 1979-1980 saw Percy Plant as the nominal chairman of Jaguar. Plant was mainly known for his skill at closing factories. Morale among workers dropped to a low point in April of 1980 when a strike over grading and pay provoked Sir Michael Edward’s ultimatum "return to work or lose your jobs."
Jaguar needed a boost as never before. It also needed a full-time chairman. In April of 1980, John Egan became Jaguar’s new full-time chief executive. He came from parts directorship of Massey Ferguson Construction and Machinery Division. He was 40 years old and the "new blood" that Jaguar so desperately needed.
Egan’s first quote was, "One cannot have better ground to build on."
He brought an air of optimism and new life to Jaguar that was soon reflected in production and morale. By 1985, it was clear that Jaguar was stable once more and that the Jaguar company had not given up.
Sir William Lyons died in 1985.
The current Jaguar line-up includes the following models:
- X Type - Midsize Saloon
- S Type - Luxury Saloon
- XJ6, XJ8, XJR - Large Saloon
- XK8, XKR - Sports Car / Convertible
Search for Jaguar parts at DIYautoparts.com
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