When your work is distinct and your style is outstanding, it’s easier to get noticed and carve your path. That’s what distinguishes talented individuals from all other wannabees. From its humble beginnings under the Swallow Sidecar (SS) brand name, Jaguar demonstrated its gifts to the world and hardly ever disappointed. Driving a Jaguar means you will get noticed and you will probably be the only one around your neighborhood. Things are changing as Jaguar increases its annual sales consistently, although many competitive brands are still selling more.Jaguar sales in recent years have significantly improved. In 2016, the company sold more than 31,000 units, up from about 15,000 in 2015. This trend flowed well into 2017 as the company sold more than 39,000 vehicles. Europe has always been Jaguar’s leading market, although North America too has a great taste for the brand.The big cat brand has solid products and enviable designs. William Lyons and William Walmsley teamed up to lay the founding of the company in 1922, building sidecars. From the Swallow Sidecar name, they baptized their first model as the SS 2 ½ -liter. A name change came in 1945 and it could henceforth be known as Jaguar Cars Limited. Down the line, the company has become an icon and a legend. Another change was necessary when the company became Jaguar Land Rover in 2008 as a subsidiary of Tata Motors. Here are some of the cars that have shaped the company’s journey.
10 Jaguar XJ220
It’s almost unbelievable that a vehicle that wasn’t meant for sale could become one of the company’s most iconic brands. The XJ220, which launched in 1988 at the Birmingham Motor show surprisingly gained a huge fan base. The decision to produce it for the masses was made when the company received over 1000 orders from interested buyers despite the high asking price.
The idea to develop this intuitive car was born after the company’s success at the 1987 World Sports Prototype Championship where it presented the XJR-8. Lead engineer Jim Randle gathered a team of volunteers that became known as the Saturday Club due to their Saturday morning meetings. On the day that the vehicle was revealed, forty people put down a deposit and they continued flowing in the weeks that followed. The final product came with a 3.5-liter bitrubo V-6 motor as opposed to the 6.2-liter V-12. In a nutshell, this Jag’s journey has been spectacular and not surprisingly one of the greatest models in the company’s history.
9 Jaguar S-Type
The Jaguar S-Type revealed at the 1998 Birmingham Motor show reminisced a nameplate hat that had first appeared in 1965 and 1966. The latter version was a befitting response to the growing influence of German machines such as the BMW X5. This second model ran until 2007 and worked hard to cut its own niche at a time when Ford was in control of the company. Over time, the Jaguar underwent considerable redesigns that are still memorable.
The S-Type was offered in several petrol and diesel engines, the largest of them being a 4.0L Jaguar AJ V8. Transmission choices were either a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic, with a six-speed added un in 2003. This Jag sedan wears just as many luxurious tools as they all come.
8 Jaguar XK
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The XK engine is among the oldest from the company and has served more purposes than simply being fitted in road-going vehicles. The ideas for this long-running engine are said to have grown in the WWII period during the fire watch sessions at the Foleshill factory in Coventry. The engineers instantly wanted them in the new saloon lineup, deviating from the thought of having them in a sports car. It wasn’t until 1996 that a Jaguar car truly carried the XK nameplate.
It came in the form of a two-door 2+2 grand tourer that ran until July 2014.The first generation was known as the XK8 and shared a platform with the Aston Martin DB7. Vehicles in the XK range prefer a more practical status as opposed to being too sporty. Nonetheless, they are great fun and luxurious to steer.
7 Jaguar E-type
Jaguar built the E-Type between 1961 and 1975. It was sold as XK-E in the North American market and went on to capture the attention of sports car enthusiasts in a hitherto unprecedented version. “This car is like a celebrity.” Opines Roadandtrack.com, “You feel like you know it, even if you don't.” Having such a “personal” relationship with any car is a process built through mutual trust. With the E-Type, it isn’t hard to come by.
Besides the emotional element of owning a Jaguar E-Type, it still hands you reliability, style, and great heritage, and a friendly price. A well-maintained unit will still hit the top speed of 150mph. It takes about 6.9 secs to hit 0-60mph. The long hood is no doubt an eye-catcher. It might have come from an old era, but it is still a powerful and admirable car. One reviewer described it as “a manifestation of 1960’s Britain.”
6 Jaguar F-Type
The F-Type stands out as a representative of modernity in Jaguar’s sports car lineup. It has a thrilling design that places it competitively among good-looking sports cars of the modern era. It first came to the scene in 2013 and has grown its siblings to include the F-Type Convertible, Coupe, SVR, and SVR GT4 among others
The F-Type SVR GT4 race car has been running since 2018 and firmly grabbed the attention of enthusiasts. Given Jaguar’s efforts to increase the F-Type lineage, it’s clear that things are likely to get better in the coming days.
5 Jaguar XK120
Here comes another Jaguar wearing the XK nameplate. It epitomizes heritage and the insightful creativity of Jaguar engineers in the postwar era. The XK 120 was built in 1948 and 1954. As Jaguar’s first sports car, there was a lot at stake and a huge burden of proof had been placed on it.
The XK 120 is a gorgeously styled car that any gearhead would want to lay its hands on. It was meant to give a practical test to the XK engine but went ahead to becharm Jaguar lovers. The 3.4-liter dual-overhead-cam, inline six-cylinder cranks up 160-hp. Whether you look at the XK 120 from the front or the rear, an exciting amusement will instantly get hold of you.
4 Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake
Jaguar may be famous for its coupes and saloon cars but not lengthy, high-roof cars such as the XFR-S Sportbrake. Either way, there was no harm in joining the foray to provide families with an eccentrically built car mean to study, stronger and roomier. With this Jaguar marked its entry into the estate market.
The XF was in existence since 2007, but Jaguar brought around the Sportbrake in 2012. A wagon from Jaguar was bound to raise the appetite of enthusiasts as this one eventually did. It’s motivated by a 5-liter supercharged V8 engine that punches 542bhp. It’s given a lot of steadiness and good road handling as if to confirm that it’s indeed a Jaguar.
3 Jaguar XJR
The story of Jaguar would be incomplete without a deep highlight of the Jaguar XJR, whose origins are the incredible XJ model from the 1960s. Over several decades, this big cat of a car has assumed various styles and managed to retain some core values. Crossing over to the new millennium, nameplates became more prominent and agile.
The Jaguar XJR that was built from 2013-2017 is a relatively huge saloon that got inspiration from the Jaguar F-Type. Like most of its siblings, the XJR takes advantage of great technology and top-notch engineering that is more driver-focused. Among notable engines is the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 that generates 550hp and 502 lb-ft of torque.
2 XE SV Project 8
The XE or Project 8 is the most powerful Jaguar to ever hit the road. It’s a monster in all dimensions include size and performance. Coming from the company respected Special Operations Vehicle (SVO) unit, the car was set to be a high-performance car right from the start.
At the heart of this car is the 5.0-liter Supercharged V-8 engine that churns no less than 592 ponies. It takes only 3.3 seconds to hit 60mph and the top speed is capped at 200mph. A sedan couldn’t get any better. It set the record for a four-door production car the unforgiving Nurburgring test track by lapping 12.94-miles in 7.3minutes.
1 Jaguar XJ-C
The XJ Series has some of the most unconventional products from Jaguar. The XJC or Coupe rises from this series and cuts its own space as one of the most inviting, attractive, and appealing from the series. Perhaps the fact that it only lived a short while between 1975 and 1977. If any Jaguar was so ever loved for its beauty, it’s got to be this one.
Jaguar has many heritage cars that you could sit and admire all day long. The XJ-C fits perfectly therein both for its looks and good road mannerisms.