10 Memorable Cars in Jaguar’s 75 Years
On April 9, 1945, the Swallow Sidecar Company (S.S. Cars) founded by William Lyons officially changed its name to Jaguar to avoid any association with the German SS from World War II.
In the 75 years that followed, the British automaker produced a number of legendary cars. Here are ten of them.
Jaguar XK120
Built from 1948 to 1954, it was Jaguar’s first sports car since the demise of the SS 100 in 1940. It had a wooden frame and handcrafted aluminum body. Lighter, more powerful racing versions were also created. The name comes from the fact that the XK120 could reach a top speed of 120 mph. The American manufacturers struck back soon after with cars like the Chevy Corvette.
Jaguar C-Type
This racing sports car ran from 1951 to 1953 and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1951 and 1953. A total of 53 C-Types were built, 43 of which were sold to private owners mainly in the U.S. The engine was a 3.4-litre inline six-cylinder producing a little more than 200 horsepower.
Jaguar D-Type
Designed specifically to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the iconic D-Type was produced between 1954 and 1957. Sharing many mechanical components with the C-Type, it used a radically different structure and aerodynamic technologies, most notably the vertical fin behind the driver. Engine displacement began at 3.4 litres and was enlarged to 3.8 litres in 1957.
Jaguar XKSS
The XKSS is a road-going version of the Jaguar D-Type racing car, built in 1956-1957 but only in 16 examples. One of them belonged to legendary actor Steve McQueen and is believed to be worth $30 million USD. In 2016, Jaguar produced nine exact replicas of the original XKSS.
Jaguar Mark 2
The Mark 2 was built from late 1959 to 1967. It established Jaguar as a benchmark for fast and sporty luxury sedans and also starred in numerous cop movies involving car chases.
Jaguar E-Type
The E-Type (XK-E in North America) was manufactured between 1961 and 1975. Its combination of beauty, high performance and competitive pricing established this Jaguar as an icon. Enzo Ferrari himself once called it the most beautiful car he had ever seen. The Series 1 models are by far the most valuable. The E-Type came in coupe, cabriolet and 2+2 configurations.
Jaguar XJ6
The XJ is a series of full-size luxury sedans initially launched in 1968 and the last Jaguar to be designed with input from founder William Lyons. It has been featured in countless media and high-profile appearances. In fact, the British royal family owns a few. After 51 years on the market, the XJ is now retired, but it will return next year in the form of a fully electric car.
Jaguar XJ220
Following its victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1988, Jaguar decided to join the exclusive circle of supercar manufacturers, with its sights set on besting the Ferrari F40. The XJ220 was limited to 281 copies from 1992 to 1994. It held the title of the fastest production car in the world until the introduction of the McLaren F1.
Jaguar XKR-S
The XKR-S is a high-performance version of the XKR featuring a supercharged V8 engine with a maximum power output of 550 horsepower. It accelerated from 0-100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and reached a top speed of more than 300 km/h. The Jaguar XK nameplate was dropped in 2015.
Jaguar C-X75
This two-seat, mid-engine hybrid supercar concept had a planned production run of 250 units, but it never actually rolled off the assembly line—except for five development prototypes and another one used in the 2015 movie Spectre. The twincharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine and dual electric motors combined to deliver 890 horsepower. The body was entirely made of carbon fibre. Jaguar design director Ian Callum said it was the best-looking car the company had ever developed.