Overview & Reviews

Jaguar cars have a long history of elegant styling and sporting performance. The brand was born in the United Kingdom, and for years its vehicles were synonymous with the old-world luxury of the British upper classes. More recently, Jaguar has been under the ownership of other automakers, but Jaguar cars will always bear the unmistakable gleam of traditional English refinement.

The company traces its roots to the Swallow Sidecar Company, founded in 1922 by Bill Lyons and William Walmsley. Based in Blackpool, England, the company produced a popular line of aluminum motorcycle sidecars. Swallow eventually switched its focus to automobile production, changing its name to SS Cars Ltd. in 1933. The first vehicle to carry the Jaguar name was the SS Jaguar 100, released in 1935.

After World War II, SS Cars switched its moniker to Jaguar so as not to be associated with the Nazi paramilitary organization that bore the same initials. Its first postwar offering was 1948's Mark V. The luxury sedan was joined that year by the XK 120, a sports car that was the fastest production automobile of its day — its name indicating its top speed. The XK 120 proved quite popular, and helped Jaguar establish a strong presence in the sports car market.

By the 1950s, Jaguar had begun exporting luxury vehicles to the United States. Created just for the American market, the Mark VII Saloon was introduced in 1951 and was a hit with stateside motorists. In 1956, the car took the prize at the Monte Carlo Rally. Later in the decade, Jaguar added the Mark VIII and Mark IX to its lineup. Meanwhile, the XK became the XK 140 as performance increased. Then came the XK 150 which was obviously even faster, though not quite as curvaceously alluring as the 120/140 models.

The 1960s saw the launch of one of Jaguar's most well-known models. The E-Type (or XK-E as it was known in the U.S.) debuted for 1961. The new sports car, available as either a coupe or convertible, provided performance and refinement wrapped up in an undeniably sexy package. The success of groups like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and icons like Twiggy the fashion model made British culture a hot commodity during the '60s — a fact that likely had positive implications for Jaguar's popularity in the U.S.

A decade later, Jaguar introduced the XJ6C and XJ12C coupes to join the sedans. At one point, the XJ12 was the fastest production sedan of its day. By the mid-'70s the lovely E-Type was replaced by the relatively bland XJ-S. The 1980s saw Jaguar continuing to raise the bar in performance with the launch of the XJ-S HE and a true world supercar, the XJ220.
By this time, however, Jaguar's cars had also built up a reputation for questionable reliability, electrical problems being the chief source of owners' angst. Increased competition from German automakers and adverse exchange rates didn't help matters either. Without much capital to work with to improve matters, the company decided to pursue a partnership with another company. This decision ultimately led to a full buyout of Jaguar by Ford in 1990.

Ford's influence (and financial support) was evident with the 1997 launch of Jaguar's XK8 and supercharged XKR sports cars. Powering both was Jaguar's new AJ-V8, a compact yet powerful engine that was also used in certain Land Rover vehicles. A few years later, Jaguar made an effort to broaden its product line with the introduction of a lower-priced, entry-luxury compact sedan known as the X-Type. Unfortunately, this model sold poorly, as its modest European Ford sedan underpinnings proved to be a liability. Around this time, Jaguar's old-school traditional styling grew stale as competitors moved into the new millennium with cutting-edge, modern designs inside and out.

Sales plummeted, and Jaguar's financial problems caused further headaches for parent company Ford, which was also experiencing financial turmoil. Ford cut its losses and sold Jaguar (and fellow British premium brand Land Rover) to Indian manufacturer Tata in 2008. Though reliability still remains a concern, new models like the XF and redesigned icons XK and XJ seem to indicate a bright Jaguar future, as they feature modern designs sprinkled with a fair share of classic Britannic charm.

User Reviews:

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  Love the baby Jag - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By Nashman1975 - June 1 - 11:40 pm

  Fantastic car--picked it over the Merc and BMW. Everyone i show loves it. My father now wants to buy one. The interior is fantastic for the price. Few hiccups to date--leaking windshield sprayer, out of alignment on delivery, noisy driveshaft (apparently people have these problems with this car--all were fixed under warranty, driveshaft still slightly noisy during cold.)

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  Best XJ Ever ! - 2006 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Jag Man - May 28 - 5:06 pm

  The all new XJ with aluminum is without question the best improvement Jaguar ever made to this legendary car. Jaguar stands alone in looks for cars in this price range. This JAG turns heads.

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  2002 XJR after one year - 2002 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Ailean Mor - May 22 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle has been a great pleasure to own and drive. It combines the desired features of luxury, performance, reliability and safety into a package that does not come without a significant price tag, but is well-positioned when compared to similar vehicles in its class.

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  vanden plas rah rah - 2005 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By mike g - May 18 - 11:20 am

  The 2005 Vanden Plas XJ8 is the autobahn beater that should be considered by anyone looking to combine luxury with size and power. Jaguars flagship matches up with the S-Class and the 700 Series very well. Less weight (aluminum) equals speed and agility you would not expect from such a large auto. The additional costs for he German cars can only leave you wondering why would you spend more to get less? Compare the three. The car will sell itself. Tally Ho

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  My Jaguar - 2001 Jaguar S-Type
  By Jack Lynn - May 18 - 7:30 am

  This vehicle is well designed and I consider it a luxury car. It responds very favorably during automatic shifting of gears and handling ability. The vehicle is very accessible and provides excellent comfort. It has a very smooth ride.

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  What a Fabulous Vehicle - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By Very satisfied owner - May 17 - 2:00 am

  If there is a more satisfying luxury mid-sized ride in the world, I dont know what it could be. The S-Type Jaguar is the first of many fine autos Ive owned that meets or exceeds all of my lofty expectations. The only negative is that my standards have now become so demanding that I suspect I can never be as happy with any other car. The fit and finish is superb and the styling is the best of any other car in its class. The only equipment improvement would be to create a more compact key remote design (its impossible to attach other keys with the current fob). Be sure to get the Performance Package with adjustable pedals and steering etc.

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  Wife Loves It (so do I)! - 2003 Jaguar XK-Series
  By 2ndowner;2ndJag - May 10 - 12:03 am

  Wifes Xmas present 12/05. She said she always wanted one, and she couldnt believe it when it "appeared" in the driveway 2005 Xmas a.m! She drives it everyday. This is "our" 2nd Jaguar; had an 89 XJS coupe (V12) previously - what an improvement since Ford took over. The 03 is wonderful: 4.2 engine is buttery smooth, and not as fragile as former 4.0 of earlier years V8s. I put the XK-R wheels on it with all-season Michelins, and these work much better in winter than the 19s with Pirrelli summer/snows -- we have a lot of rough roads in Michigan. KNOW your mechanic, even if just warranty stuff. Not all dealers have "Jaguar certified" ones do work (some go out on own).

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  Spectacular auto - 2006 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By J Hensing - May 4 - 11:00 am

  Finest car Ive owned. Drives with great accuracy despite its size. Power is remarkable with smooth acceleration/shifts. Rides beautifully and yet corners surefootedly. Interior is truly luxurious including the sound system and the back seat AV DVD system.

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  Big Jag - 2004 Jaguar XK-Series
  By Boltman - April 24 - 2:00 am

  Repair cost, when needed, is very expensive. The parts drive the cost of repair up, the labor is usually competitive.

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  XJ8 is hard to beat - 2004 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By charlienmr - April 24 - 2:00 am

  Great looks, performance, style, and reliability at a price that is very attractive compared to comparable cars. Base model is very well equiped. Add a few options and the XJ8 competes with anything on the road and nothing looks better.