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Origins of Jaguar -

The Jaguar story can be traced back to 1922 when two motorcycle enthusiasts, William Lyons (pictured) and William Walmsley, founded the Swallow Sidecar Company in Blackpool, England. 

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Swallow Coachbuilding Company -

Lyons and Walmsley oversaw the commercial production of motorcycle sidecars. As the Swallow Coachbuilding Company, they later ventured into car body manufacturing. The first car the enterprising duo worked on was the Austin Seven Swallow, in 1927.

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Austin Seven Swallow -

The Swallow proved popular, so much so, in fact, that the demand for the vehicle made it necessary for the company to relocate to larger premises.

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Relocation to Coventry -

In 1928, the Swallow Coachbuilding Company began trading out of Coventry. The following year, three more Swallow models appeared on Standard, Swift, and Fiat chassis.

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SS Jaguar -

In 1935, William Walmsley left the company, the same year Lyons introduced a breakthrough: the SS Jaguar. This was the first vehicle to bear the Jaguar name.

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Jaguar XK120 -

In late 1935 after continued success and expansion of their SS Jaguar range, the company was rebranded as SS Cars. In 1945, this was changed to Jaguar Cars Limited. Three years later, Lyons designed the Jaguar XK120. An instant sensation, the XK120 was the world's fastest production car at the time of its debut.

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Jaguar C-Type -

Jaguar quickly made a name for itself as a manufacturer of successful eye-catching sports cars. In 1951, the C-Type was launched. Originally called the XK120C, this car made headlines that year after achieving first place in the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans, and again in 1953.

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Jaguar D-Type -

The appearance in 1954 of the Jaguar D-Type consolidated Jaguar's supremacy on the racetrack. Jaguar D-Types were victorious at Le Mans in 1955, 1956, and in 1957. In all, approximately 67 of these exceptionally styled cars were built.

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Jaguar E-Type -

The iconic E-Type led no less an authority as Enzo Ferrari to declare it "the most beautiful car ever made." Making its debut at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show, the E-Type, with its aerodynamic curves and graceful aesthetics, represented a groundbreaking moment in car culture and automotive history.

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Jaguar Mark VII -

The 1950s heralded the era of elegantly styled luxury saloons. The Mark VII, launched in 1950, was less expensive than a Rolls Royce or Bentley but remained true to the values defined by Jaguar's tagline: "Grace...Space...Pace."

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Jaguar Mark X -

The Mark X, introduced in 1961 the same year as the E-Type, combined much of the E-Type's technology with voluptuous curves and elongated silhouette. This was the largest car Jaguar produced in the 20th century, and remained the company's top-of-the-range saloon car for a decade.

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Jaguar Mark 2 -

Along with the E-Type, the classic Mark 2 is one of the most recognized Jaguar models ever produced. Built from late 1959 to 1967, this vehicle also perfectly reflected William Lyons' principles of "Grace...Space...Pace."

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Jaguar 420G -

Meanwhile, the Jaguar Mark X was renamed the 420G, with few distinct engineering or cosmetic improvements. The new designation was announced at the London Motor Show in 1966. However, sales of the 420G were disappointing, and in 1970 the car was discontinued.

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Jaguar XJ6 -

Another reason why the 420G sold less than expected was the appearance of the smaller, trimmer, but equally spacious XJ6. This model helped drive Jaguar into the 1970s and an increasingly competitive and volatile market.

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Jaguar XJ-S -

In 1975, Jaguar unveiled the XJ-S, a luxury grand tourer. This was the company's longest-running model, only ceasing production in 1996. Reaction to this model was mixed, with many motoring journalists expressing their dissatisfaction at the car's "unusual" appearance, bemoaning its rectangular frame. It was also criticized for being large, heavy, and thirsty, plus cramped in the back.

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Jaguar XJ-S HE -

Reacting to the less-than-favorable reviews, Jaguar gave the XJ-S series a facelift. A high-efficiency, 5.3-liter V12 (HE) model was launched in 1981, and in 1983 a cabriolet, followed three years later by a full convertible. Later branded without the hyphen as XJS, the series enjoyed a renaissance that endured right through to the mid-1990s.

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Jaguar XJ220 -

As if to reclaim a stake in the sports car category, Jaguar introduced the XJ220 in 1993. At the time, British Formula One driver Martin Brundle confirmed the XJ220 as the fastest production car at 217 mph (349 km/h), narrowly quicker than the Bugatti, when he tested it on the Nardò Ring in southern Italy.

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Jaguar XK -

The XK was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1996. A two-door grand tourer, the XK was generally well received by consumers, with many praising its luxurious interior, powerful engine, and smooth, effortless ride. Further upgrades fine-tuned its handling and high performance.

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Jaguar X-Type -

Jaguar's entry into the critical compact executive segment was marked by the introduction of the X-Type in 2001. At launch, Autocar called the X-Type "the most important Jaguar ever." However, the car ultimately underperformed in the showroom.

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Jaguar F-Type -

At its launch in 2013, Jaguar described the F-type as the "spiritual successor" to the E-Type. It was introduced initially as a two-door soft-top convertible, but the two-door fastback coupé version proved more popular. Jaguar announced recently that the F-Type would be discontinued after the 2024 model year.

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Jaguar XE -

The successor to the X-Type, the Jaguar XE achieved modest global sales throughout its production run from 2015 to 2024. A special limited production, high-performance version of the XE called SV Project 8 is highly collectable, with only 300 units released worldwide.

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Jaguar F-Pace -

The Jaguar F-Pace, formally announced at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, is the first model to be built by Jaguar in the SUV class. Jaguar's best-selling model in 2016, the F-Pace was subsequently named honorary winner of the 2017 World Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year Awards at the New York International Auto Show.

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Jaguar E-Pace -

The second production Jaguar SUV, the E-Pace was unveiled in 2017. In 2021, a makeover of the vehicle included the addition of mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants.

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Jaguar I-Pace -

Jaguar's latest SUV is the I-Pace. Its launch in 2018 was followed by generally positive reviews, with motoring journalists noting the vehicle's styling, performance, build quality, and luxurious interior. The Pace series is set to be discontinued by 2025.

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Evolution of the leaping cat -

The Jaguar nameplate, together with the company's corporate logo and hood ornament, have evolved with the model lineup. The current Jaguar logo (pictured) is undergoing a redesign in time for the automaker's unveiling of a new electric vehicle that will reposition it as a high-end luxury EV brand.

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SS Jaguar logo -

From 1922 to 1935, the Swallow Sidecar Company was identified by a logo representing eagle's wings. This design, conveying the spirit of flight, was tweaked to represent the SS Jaguar range from 1935 to 1945.

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The leaping jaguar makes its appearance -

A similar logo was used between 1945 and 1951. It was also in 1945 that the famous leaping jaguar logo was first introduced on hood ornaments, with its style remaining unchanged until the early 2000s.

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Winning design -

A special logo was designed to commemorate the Le Mans successes of 1951 and 1953.

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What's in a name? -

But it was in 1951 that the eagle's wings were finally clipped and replaced by a singular nameplate. This was the preferred design until 1957.

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Roaring jaguar -

In 1957, the roaring jaguar appeared for the first time, a circular emblem with a front-facing silver or gold jaguar cat roaring.

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New corporate logo -

From 1981 to 2001, the logo featured the leaping tiger clearing the Jaguar nameplate for the first time.

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A new breed of cat -

This design will remain in its present form until the new logos are officially unveiled on a "design vision" concept car during Miami Art Week on December 2, 2024.

Sources: (Car and Driver) (Jaguar) (Daily Mail) (Fleet News) (Discovery Channel UK) 

See also: The enduring history of the Land Rover

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