History of the Jaguar brand.
big cat
History remembers many examples when famous car brands, due to circumstances, were forever forgotten. A similar consideration could befall the Jaguar company, but fortunately the "big cat" turned out to be tenacious ...
text: Maxim Fedorov / 07/02/2013
The roots of the Jaguar brand go back to the English company SS Cars, which in turn grew out of a small company producing motorcycle sidecars Swallow Sidecar. The company was founded in 1922 by namesakes William Lyons and William Walmsley. It got its name from the name of the owner of the garage where the first strollers were built, and since Swallow in English means “swallow”, this nimble bird has become their emblem.
Having made enough capital in the wheelchair business, in 1927 the partners decided to start building cars on the Austin Seven chassis. Inexpensive “swallows” Austin Swallow equipped with 2- and 4-seater original bodies were in good demand. Orders for cars were constantly increasing, and Austin was unable to supply enough chassis, so Swallow began to buy them from various manufacturers: Morris, Fiat, Swift, Wolseley and Standard (which later became the main supplier of Swallow).
But the founders of SS Cars wanted to start producing cars whose "stuffing" would not repeat the models of other manufacturers. To do this, they entered into an agreement with Standard for the supply of exclusive chassis, which were intended only for Swallow. The first such car was the SS1 (Standard Swallow), which premiered at the London Motor Show in October 1931. This model was equipped with a 6-cylinder engine and had the lowest body among the English cars of that time. The novelty was well received by customers, and the next year there was a version of the SS1 with an increased wheelbase, which became more proportionate and more spacious than before. The car received a lot of accolades and even won the title of "Most beautiful car in the world".
In 1935, a model appeared who played key role history of the company - sedan SS Jaguar. After the war, when there was an urgent need to get rid of the "inconvenient" abbreviation SS, its name was chosen as the name of the enterprise - Jaguar Car. The first brainchild of the newly formed brand was sports Jaguar XK120, released in 1949. The number in the index indicated top speed(in miles per hour), although without windshield this model could accelerate to 132 miles / hour (approximately 212 km / h), which was a record for production cars that time.
To participate in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1951, a racing car with a streamlined body and more was created on the basis of the Jaguar XK120. powerful motor. The model was named XK120C by birth and was later renamed C-Type - already under this designation it performed at Le Mans, where it immediately brought the winner's laurels to the brand. Bypass rivals on the track she is not in last turn helped disc brakes on both axles - Jaguar designers were the first to install them on a racing car, significantly increasing braking performance.
Inspired by the triumph of the C-Type, in 1954 the company released the racing D-Type with an aerodynamic body of unearthly beauty. In addition to design, this model was distinguished by constructive know-how: it was the first to use a monocoque body, whose constructs later became the generally accepted standard in construction racing cars. Like its predecessor, the D-Type proved to be successful on the track: in 1957, the Jaguar team completely defeated opponents in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, taking the entire prize podium.
Unfortunately, Fortune cannot smile all the time. And, as it often happens in life, behind the white streak of success, a black streak has come for the Jaguar brand. On the evening of February 12, 1957, a fire broke out at the Browns Lane plant, incinerating the production shops and causing damage to the enterprise in 3 million pounds sterling (a colossal amount at that time). However, it was not for nothing that the company was called "Jaguar": like all cats, it turned out to be tenacious. Thanks to the efforts of the workers who helped restore the burnt-out shops, in just two weeks the enterprise resumed work, albeit at a third of its previous capacity.
While the factory was being rebuilt, the Jaguar design bureau was in full swing, the fruit of which was the legendary E-Type, which debuted on Geneva motor show 1961. The model, which impressed with its fantastic design, dynamics and attractive price, brought worldwide fame to the brand. The E-Type has gained thousands of fans around the world, and the New York Museum of Modern Art has even included it among its permanent exhibits. Thanks to its success, this car turned out to be a long-liver, holding out on the assembly line for 14 years.
September 1968 is considered the date of birth of the flagship Jaguar XJ limousine. With the advent of this model, the confusion in the classification of Jaguar sedans has finally stopped. The style of the car, which was personally supervised by William Lyons, made a splash. After a series of upgrades in 1986, it appears completely new model XJ series. It was the last of the Jaguars to receive the approval of William Lyons himself (1901-1986). Four years after the introduction of the new XJ Jaguar was bought Ford motor company.
Before Jaguar came under the control of the American auto giant in 1989, the British were doing very badly: the quality of the produced cars was lame, there was no money to launch new models, and the dealer network left much to be desired. A change in leadership, a revision of the business strategy, and an impressive financial injection of the American concern helped to rectify the situation. The main forces were thrown at improving the quality of machine assembly, reducing production costs, as well as developing a dealer network. In parallel, the development of a new model range, but this process was greatly extended in time.
The first model of the “new wave”, which appeared only in 1996, was the Jaguar XK8 coupe, and 9 years after Ford made cash crops on British soil, the S-Type business class sedan was born. The design of this model was inspired by the famous post-war Jaguar XK120 coupe, and at a price it was much more affordable than the flagship XJ. In 2001, even more compact sedan Jaguar X Type. To reduce the cost of developing new items, Ford "shared" the Mondeo platform with the Jaguars, from which many X-Type nodes were borrowed. This model distinguished itself not only by being the first by Jaguar with front-wheel drive, but also by the fact that a station wagon version appeared on its basis - also the first in the history of the British brand.
After the X-Type, it was the turn of the company's flagship: in 2002, the new Jaguar XJ appeared, which, in defiance of the Audi A8, received aluminum body. The use of aluminum made it possible to reduce the weight of the car by 200 kg compared to its predecessor, despite the fact that the car has become larger. Buying a Jaguar concern Ford received "to the heap" and the Daimler brand. So that the purchase would not remain ownerless, the new Jaguar management decided to put it into action, offering under brand Daimler long-wheelbase XJ sedans in the richest performance. However, despite all efforts, the Americans failed to bring Jaguar to a profitable level: in 2008, this brand, along with Land Rover was sold to the Indian corporation Tata.
SS1 (1934). Photo: Jaguar
SS Jaguar (1938). Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar XK120 (1949). Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar C-Type (1951). Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar D-Type (1954). Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar E-Type (1961). Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar XJ (1968). Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar S-Type (1998). Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar X-Type (2001). Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar XJ8 (2002). Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar XK. Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar XJ. Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar XF. Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar F-Type. Photo: Jaguar
The English company "Jaguar" today specializes in the production of prestigious cars. However, in 1922, after registration, she was called "Swallow Sidecars" and was engaged in the manufacture of sidecars for motorcycles. And only 4 years later, two founding partners, William Lyons and William Walmsley, decided to turn their attention to the development of car bodies. First automotive products"Jaguara" was intended for the sports car Seven, produced by the company "Austin".
The manufacturer achieved its first notable success in 1931, presenting its first two cars, the SS-I and SS-II, at the London Motor Show. London buyers liked them, and Jaguar spent the next few years developing premium sedans based on these models. Released in 1936, they were the first cars to carry the Jaguar name.
After spending the entire Second world war as a manufacturer of aircraft engines, the company returned to the development of machines immediately after its completion. At this time, the company changes its former name, taking as the new "Jaguar", which had previously designated only a line of luxury cars. The "SS" designation was too strongly associated with the Nazis at the time, and it could hurt sales. In 1948, the first post-war sedan, the Jaguar Mk V, was introduced, and shortly after that, the company released a model that became the fastest production car of that time. The maximum speed of the XK120 was as much as 193 km / h. This series was continued in 1954, when the XK-140 was born. New car equipped with an engine that developed 180-192 Horse power power, and accelerating to 225 km / h. After 3 years, Jaguar introduced the XK150 model, which had a 253-horsepower 3.5-liter engine.
In 1960, Jaguar bought out the Daimler company, with which all last years. However, this decision was not the best, and led to a number of financial problems. It was possible to correct things only in 1966, by merging with British Motors. After that, the time came, which can be considered the golden age of the Jaguar - the company produces one after another successful models, which break sales records and occupy the top lines in the charts of the most attractive cars in England. The cars of the brand are gradually becoming more aggressively sporty, both outside and in technical equipment. So, in 1972, Jaguar released the XJ12 model, which had a 12-cylinder engine with a capacity of 311 horsepower. She is on for a long time became the best among all the company's products, until in 1981 it was replaced by the XJ-S HE. This model had automatic box gears and a top speed of 250 km / h, which was another record among serial cars.
In 1988, the company created a new division called "Jaguar Sport", designed to improve high-speed and technical indicators brand cars. The very first model presented, the XJ 220, took its well-deserved top spot on the podium among the fastest production cars, and only the appearance of the McLaren F1 forced it to go down one line.
In 1989, Jaguar came under the control of the American company Ford Motor. Thanks to the support of the corporation, the company produces new interesting models without losing their individuality. So, in 1996 it comes out sport car XK8 equipped with next latest developments, among which it is worth noting the suspension controlled through on-board computer. From 1998 to 2000, Jaguar consistently introduced the S-Type, F-Type and X-Type models, which became the flagships of the entire UK car industry at that time.
Jaguar's first station wagon, the X-Type Estate, was shown on Frankfurt Motor Show 2003. He had diesel engine And all-wheel drive transmission. And 4 years later, the line of sedans of the British company was updated with the XF business class model.
In 2008, Jaguar was purchased by Tata Motors from India. A year later, the company introduced new sedan XJ, which had an aluminum body, a wide wheelbase and powerful engine.
After 4 years of fruitful work, the company released the Jaguar F-Type two-seater roadster, which was recognized as "the most sports car of the past 50 years." Under its hood is a five-liter V8 engine with a capacity of 495 horsepower. In just 4.3 seconds, he is able to reach speeds of up to 100 km / h.
The real "hits" of 2013 were a pair of supercharged models: the Jaguar XJ sedan and the Jaguar XKR-S GT for track days. The first car was equipped with almost the same engine as the F-Type, only with a capacity of 550 horsepower. This two-ton liner is capable of accelerating to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds. The second model is a real breakthrough for the company, because its acceleration time to hundreds of just 0.3 seconds.
In 2014, Jaguar engineers worked on the car's compactness and introduced its smallest D-Class XE sedan. In 2015, manufacturers decided to finalize the XF business sedan produced since 2007, making it 190 kg lighter, shorter and slightly lower. The interior and exterior of the model as a whole remained the same, the developers worked hard to increase the level of comfort and achieved more smooth lines. Sales new Jaguar XF will launch at the end of 2015.
To date, the company continues to develop in the direction of the production of sports cars and luxury sedans.
| Full title: | Jaguar Land Rover Ltd. |
| Other names: | Jaguar, Jaguar Cars Ltd. |
| Existence: | 1922 - present day |
| Location: | UK: Coventry |
| Key Figures: | Cyrus Mistry (Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tata Group); Ralph Speth (CEO Jaguar Land Rover); Adrian Hallmark (Global Brand Manager Jaguar Cars) |
| Products: | cars |
| The lineup: |
A well-known luxury car brand of English origin. The company's headquarters are located in Coventry, Midlands, this moment part of the Ford Motors Corporation. It was founded in 1925 by William Lyons (Sir Lyons William) and William Walmsley (Sir Walmsley William), at first had the name Swallow Sidecar (you can meet the abbreviation as SS) and was engaged in the production of sidecars for motorcycles. But their dream of getting rich suffered a devastating fiasco, and Lyons switched his activities to the development of bodies, taking as a basis the replacement Austin 7. This venture of his was crowned with success and in 1927 he received a large fee for an order for the manufacture of 500 such bodies according to his sketches.
The body for Austin 7 was so liked in the car market that regular orders soon followed, as a result of which the company began to gain success. Such famous models like Morris Cowley, Wolseley Hornet, and Fiat 509A purchased their bodies from Swallow Sidecar. Reputation gained good recommendations and the proceeds from the sale of these bodies went to the design own cars. Lyons was very carried away by his idea and went towards double sports cars. Already in 1931, Lyons presented his two new masterpieces SSI and SSII at the London Summer car exhibition. Then the company received tremendous success and funding, thanks to which the first Jaguar SS90 saw the light a little later. The Jaguar got its name from Lyons, who, in his passion for sports cars, also had good marketing skills. Soon the second Jaguar SS100 joined the first Jaguar SS90. This Jaguar became a classic of the genre and the best-selling model of the 40s, and the company received a new name (“Jaguar”). This move was also due to the fact that the previous shortened abbreviation of the company name evoked memories from critics of the criminal and active Nazi organization at that time.
The next amazing success of the company is considered to be the date of the appearance of the Jaguar XK120. The new Heynes engine put into service had a power of 105 hp. and due to this, the car could easily reach a speed of 126 km / h, which at that time was know-how. The car was recognized at the London Auto Show itself fast car, the manufacturing company has gained wild popularity.
Since then, more and more new models have been produced, such as Jaguar Mk VII, Jaguar XK140, Jaguar XK120. In the 50s, the company improved engine power to 190 horsepower. And already in the Jaguar XK120 introduced this novelty in terms of cylinder volume of 2.4 liters.
1957-1960 - time active work company, during which she conquered the entire American auto market with models: XK150 and XK150 Roadster. The power of these models struck buyers, which was 220 horsepower, and the engine size was 2.4 liters and 3.8 liters, respectively.
1961 - 1988 - the company is famous for its sports cars and the advent of representative sedans. Their prices were high, but the quality absolutely corresponded to the chosen one. pricing policy, as it provided the car with a sufficiently high technical characteristic. IN given time the company "Jaguar" has become one position with Ferrari and Rolls-Royce.
"Jaguar" back in the 50s. began active cooperation with an English company called Deimler. This company produced excellent cars from its assembly lines, but very similar to jaguars, both in class and in technical specifications. The company wasted no time and convinced the company to replace the production of their Daimlers with the production of Jaguars. Since 1960, the Deimler company has become part of the Jaguar and began to produce exclusively its products. The company itself experienced a financial crisis during this period, as sales decreased. It was this fact that prompted the company, in order to avoid an economic disaster, to merge with the British Motor Company. In 1966, she merges with her and in the same year there is again an increase in the level of sales and, accordingly, the prestige of the company.
In this short time, the already prestigious Jaguar company managed to participate with the new sensational Jaguar XKE in the next exhibition in Geneva (1961), then make a splash at american car market (1962), release six-cylinder engine on the XJ6 model (1968) and a twelve-cylinder engine with a power limit of 311 horsepower on the XJ12 model (1972). last car has long been considered the most successful in the history of the company. But Jaguar never wanted to stop there.
September 1986 saw the premiere of a new upper class Jaguar sedan XJ8. In 1973, a double coupe saw the light closed type on the Jaguar XJ. The speed of this car reached 250 kilometers per hour.
In 1988, Jaguar decided to take part in the British Motor Show with its new Jaguar XJ220. The car became a resounding success, but this model was also decided to be reconstructed. The successor Cliff Rudell transferred these rights to Keith Helfet and he presented the first version of the car in 1987, and then (in 1991) the second version of this car, but already the final one, at the Tokyo Motor Show.
At the next exhibition in Geneva in 1996, the following sports model The Jaguar XK8/XKR, which became famous as a car that comes in both coupe and convertible versions.
In 2000, the Jaguar was introduced to Formula-1. For the sake of such a grand event, the company released a new XKR "Silverstone" sports car. This car only one hundred units were produced, but these one hundred units became the fastest in the Jaguar line and began new chapter in the history of the creation of cars with the famous Jaguar emblem.
On this story Jaguar didn't end. Since 2008 in various configurations began to be issued.
In 2008, Ford sold two of its divisions (Land Rover and Jaguar) to India's TATA.And Jaguar started with the production of sidecars for motorcycles, but then switched to the production of bodies for cars. This experience turned out to be successful and Jaguar gradually moved to the production of its own cars.
In 1925, William Lyons and William Walmsley founded the Swallow Sidecar company, which was engaged in the production of sidecars for motorcycles. But this occupation did not bring tangible financial profit and the company is trying to establish production car bodies. One of the first was an order to develop a body for the Austin Seven. According to historians, up to 500 bodies were made for this model. The body experience turned out to be successful and orders were subsequently completed for the construction of bodies for Fiat cars 509A, Morris Cowley and Wolseley Hornet. The customers were satisfied and Lyons decided to take the risk of creating his own car brand. At the London Motor Show in 1931, the company announced itself with two models at once - SS-1 and SS-2. In 1945, the company received its current name - Jaguar, abandoning the abbreviation SS (According to some reports, the letters SS frightened public opinion because of the similarity with Nazi symbols). In 1948, the Jaguar XK-120 appeared, which was recognized as one of the fastest stock cars- it accelerated to 126 km / h. In 1984, Jaguar comes under the control of the Ford concern. But the profile of the company does not change, Jaguar still remains a manufacturer of very expensive and very high quality British cars with a sporty character. In 2001, the Jaguar X-Type was released - the first D-class car in the company's history, created on the basis of Ford Mondeo. Moreover, the first X-Type had four-wheel drive. In 2003 comes out diesel version X-Type - the first in the history of the company diesel car. In 2008, Jaguar comes under the control of the Indian TATA.
Jaguar is a car whose country Great Britain is not the birthplace of jaguars. But for car lovers high class These three concepts are inextricably linked. Everyone knows very well that car brand"Jaguar" is produced by the British automotive company. The car manufacturer Jaguar is part of the Ford association. And the history of the Jaguar brand began with the production of not even motorcycles, but motorcycle sidecars.
The history of the Jaguar brand: the beginning of the journey
The first car of the company saw the light only in the early 30s of the last century. The SS I model was distinguished by the graceful lines of an elongated low-seat body. But real story Jaguar did not start with this car. Approximately four years later, it rolls off the assembly line. next model SS100. The car was characterized by a graceful exterior, the driver's seat was located just above the road level. The cutouts for the driver's elbows proved to be the most remarkable detail of the body, as were the large flat headlights with protective metal mesh, the long narrow hood with slots for better air circulation, the beautiful fender lines with sills.
equipped powerful engine with six cylinders, the car accelerated to 160 km / h and really looked like a wild predator. Thanks to William Lyons, the "Jaguar" lettering first appeared on this car. According to experts, the history of Jaguar began with the SS100.
Company logo
During the Second World War, the company worked for the needs of the front, producing aircraft, and after the war, the Jaguar car began to be produced again: the manufacturer, of course, abandoned the abbreviation "SS". Three years later, the new Jaguar XK120 model is released, in which clear lines continue to be traced, making the brand recognizable. In addition, the hood is already decorated with a figurine of a real predator, thanks to which, even a person who is absolutely far from technology, having seen a figurine of a predator on the hood, knows that this is a Jaguar car brand.
So, we can sum up some results:
1. Jaguar car: country of origin - Great Britain.
2. The first model - about 80 years ago.
3. Extra class cars.
Currently, the company continues to delight fans of the brand with new car models.
