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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  Classy and Quick - 2005 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Dan Derrick - January 22 - 8:53 pm

  The Jaguar is a bit of a paradox. Folks look at the classic Jaguar appearance and make assumptions, but this aluminum XJ is light, quick and responsive. The car handles well, and is comfortable. The cabin has plenty of space, but it also retains a warmth and coziness that is unique to Jaguar

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  370 HP ALL THANKS TO A SUPERCHARGER!!! - 2003 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Jagz Rule - January 19 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my 2002 Jaguar XJR 100 in June and it is amazing!! Love the red stiching, navagation is excellent. The supercharger whines like its a cat (PURRRR). Sport mode is also very fun!

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  Against the grain - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By baisley1 - January 16 - 2:00 am

  Much better car than "experts" say. Drawbacks are in two areas: 1) Not enough oomph: care must downshift to get away from itself. 2) Rear seat legroom is grossly inadequate. Big plus is the tremendous first rate service of the dealer (Heritage Jaguar, Freeport, NY)

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  Best of the breed - 2006 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By soccercoach99 - December 29 - 8:53 am

  Jaguar got it right with this car, I have seven, including sports cars like Honda S2000 and Porsche Boxster, and American muscle car classic Impala SS -- the Jag does it all, quietly, composed, and quick. Cant imagine a more responsive and comfortable vehicle.

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  If you dont drive a Jag you dont drive - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By GillyBurksJag - December 27 - 2:00 am

  I just recently bought a 2004 3.0liter all wheel drive Jaguar. For all of those disbelievers, and people who say this car resembles a Ford "POS" Taures you have another thing coming. The #.0 specifications includes a 227 motor which is the equilivance to a Subura Impreza WRX. The car off the line is a little weak in the 1st gear, but as soon as u shift into 2nd, you realized you are getting your moneys worth. I paid 31,890 out of the lot for this vechile, and it was worth every penny. Take a test drive and you will be hooked.

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  S type - Stand out from the crowd - 2005 Jaguar S-Type
  By Tony - December 26 - 11:23 pm

  I have owned my S type R for quite some time now and I have to say its a pleasure to drive. The looks alone make it stand out from the masses but the performance is sensational. Jaguars of old have had some bad press, Im here to say thats all changed. What other performance sedan can you buy used with a 400 hp engine for under $40k? These cars are classics in waiting and represent fantastic bang for your buck.

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  Fun Jag - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By fs - December 26 - 10:00 am

  My experience with my x-type started out poor with my Jag locked away in the shop for two weeks because of sound coming from Drive shaft. What we all found out was the prop shaft has bearings that were exposed to salt air which caused the vechile to make a loud noise when reving about 2500 RPM in cold weather. The problem was fixed and the car rides great,it has a growl with the dual exhaust,but the car is quick. The exterior look it great,and it rides like a true sports car with the AWD their is a degree of confidence. I would recommend the all weather package and Premium package for those areas that need it. I love driving the car and would buy it again.

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  If you like Jags - 2005 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By xjr - December 25 - 4:06 am

  Folks I am 62 220lbs, if you have my dimensions dont buy - you will always be uncomfortable in the bucket seats. The car has a very attractive exterior, and the engine will blow anything away in its class, but lets face it folks this is a super ford, and everyone knows it. Remember folks if you drive, and spend time in the car, prepare to hire a massage therapist for your back and thighs. I cant wait to sell the damn car. Just my thoughts.

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  luv it - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By trichia - December 21 - 2:00 am

  My first Jag and I love it. Never thought I could afford one. Perfect for women. Classy looking for the price.

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  firstjaginfatuation - 2007 Jaguar XK-Series
  By firstjag - December 20 - 2:20 am

  Picked up my 07 XK Coupe 2 weeks ago - a black with tan model with several upgrades. Replaced Mercedes CLS 500. The looks, the ride, the handling, the sound, seats, paddle shifters, styling, performance and the right technology with push button start and blue tooth all sold me. Plenty of power and best shifting trans experienced - best paddle shifters on the market. Very respectable gas mileage and no guzzler tax. Could do without the old world antenna. Overall a great package of styling, performance and sizzle. Interior is well done with great seats and clean yet very functional dash design.