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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  Great driving car - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By BSUE - August 30 - 2:00 am

  This car is everything I expected it to be. My X looks good and handles really great! I feel like a race car driver when Im on the highway.

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  Jag S-type 4.0 - 2001 Jaguar S-Type
  By easton - August 23 - 10:00 am

  Since the day I picked up my new Jaguar S-Type, I have been completely surprised at its ride comfort, quietness, and the amazing performance for a luxury vehicle. This is my first Jaguar and Im sure that it wont be my last!

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  A beautiful car - 2005 Jaguar XK-Series
  By Ron Katz - August 19 - 10:00 am

  This is my second XKR. Before that I owned XK8s. This is the best one yet. An absolutely beautiful car and "tight" No squeeks over bumps - super solid. Everything about the car says "power"and its so. The only additional feature I would wish for is an automatic tire pressure regulator. One last thought..the door handles are chrome - it would be nice if they were rubber coated. Here in Arizona after sitting in the sun they get hot, hot, hot.

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  my review - 2002 Jaguar XK-Series
  By GOD - August 16 - 11:36 pm

  the best

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  The worst car Ive ever owned - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By Ed - August 15 - 5:43 pm

  My car loves to spend time getting service. Its been at the dealer for service 10 months of the 48 months Ive owned the car. I cant remember the many new parts it has but you can say they have rebuilt the thing. Nobody can deny is beautiful but is a piece of junk.

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  Wasnt even looking for a Jaguar - 2007 Jaguar XK-Series
  By Italian Forza - August 13 - 3:40 pm

  I stumbled across this car while shopping for a Range Rover for my wife. I bought it on the spot. Strikingly beautiful. This car has such a gorgeous design that I just stare at it outside my office window until I give in to the call of the wild and take it out for a spin. I just came off a 4 year relationship with a Maserati Coupe. This XK provides "most" of the performance of the Maserati with the added level of luxury and comfort. Maybe Im getting old, but when I want to be "sporty" I start to bang off shifts with the paddles. When I want to take it easy, full automatic does the trick. This is my first Jaguar and I am absolutely in love. I just hope it is reliable.Wish me luck

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  Wow, I love this car!! - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By MikeL - August 3 - 4:10 am

  Its been just over a week and I am deeply in love with my Jaguar. I moved from a Mustang GT to the Jag and the change is amazing. The elegance of the car enhances the great look. You feel like you are in an expensive resort. The deep hue of the wood, the buttery soft leather, the smooth coolness of the steering wheel, just perfect. The refined ride is a great complement to the quiet interior and the nav system is easy to use. I Know it has only been a week, but wow, I love this car!!

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  Flawless - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By H Pharzd - August 2 - 9:50 am

  The ride is excellent for a small vehicle. The all wheel drive and size makes it a luxury compact. Easy to park, drive... All service for the vehicle is included. Everytime the car is serviced it is completely detailed at no extra cost. I have wanted a Jaguar since 1975. I have always liked their looks. The Jaguar is 3 years old and I still get compliments on it. If you are looking for a respected people car buy a Jaguar. If you like harsh ride and odd controls buy German.

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  awesome - 2004 Jaguar XK-Series
  By gary Findlay - July 30 - 10:00 am

  I have had 25 cars in the past 25 years and this is the best all around I have ever driven.

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  S (SOUR)-TYPE R - 2004 Jaguar S-Type
  By JOHN DOE - July 30 - 10:00 am

  SINCE I PURCHASED THIS CAR I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS EVER SINCE 18 MILES. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP OVER 6 TIMES AND MOSTLY FOR THE SAME REASON. I HAVE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, AND HAVE BEEN AS BAD AS THE CAR GOING ONLY 15 MILES PER HOUR TOP SPEED IN 5 PM TRAFFIC TO MY HOME. I AM SURE I HAVE THE ONLY BAD APPLE IN THE BUNCH BUT I DO WANT TO LET JAGUAR BUYER TO BEWARE THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN THE R MODELS.