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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  A "Gorgeous" Value - 2007 Jaguar XK-Series
  By D. Stumpf - March 23 - 11:40 pm

  I have had my eye on the re-designed XK for some time and finally had the opportunity to aquire one this fall. Almost everything about the car is exceptional, foremost the styling. Call it what you will, a "poor mans Aston" perhaps, but it is one of the most beautiful automobiles on the road. Handling and performance are great (a bit underpowered perhaps - although given the aluminium monocoque construction the power/weight is commendable), interior design is outstanding (pitch the back seat!), overall fit and finish are excellent. Time will tell regarding reliability, but Jaguar has risen steadily in overall quality and reliabily in recent years. A real head-turner to say the least.

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  Great design, needs attention to quality - 2004 Jaguar S-Type
  By CUM85 - March 21 - 10:00 am

  This is a car with lots of character and style. Performance is much better than many Japanese cars with about the same horsepower engine. Engine performance is excellent for a 6 cylinders vehicle. Lacks a bit of quality details in construction and mechanical durability. Overall, a FUN car to drive.

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  the review of new orleans boy - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By new orleansboy - March 21 - 10:00 am

  This Jag is a very built car. This was my first car. I looked at the BMW and Benz but none compared to this car. I put 50000 miles on it since march and has never given me any problems except for winy brakes. Got me from college in Illinios to Louisiana in a breeze.

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  Best S-Type R - 2004 Jaguar S-Type
  By Andy - March 21 - 6:00 am

  I just purchased this 2004 S-Type R with only 32,214 miles in February of 2008. My previous Jag was a 2002 S-Type Sport 4.0 which I thought was one of the best cars that I have owned until I bought the R model. It handles like a sports car, rides like a luxury car and is just beautiful. The car brakes with discipline and accelerates without question. The car is classic Jaguar but with an understated look of aggression. The rims are very in-line with the overall appearance of the car. Whenever I take someone in it, they just sit there, like in a daze, speechless. Love this car.

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  Transmission swap - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By Zoomer - March 19 - 10:00 am

  Those of you who had a automatic transmission swap (out of warranty) had two options, buy a new tranny or a rebuilt unit. I chose the rebuilt unit ($2700 including labor). Afterward I looked into the issue and found the rebuilt have enhancements and internal fixes the brand-new ones lack. So rebuilt is BETTER than new.

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  Fun and Reliable - 2001 Jaguar S-Type
  By Funtodrive - March 15 - 2:00 am

  Initial quality exceptionally good. Only problem in 2 and 1/2 years was the display in the radio. The dealership replaced the radio in a day. The 17 inch wheels and automatic (computer controlled) suspension is unbelieveable.... like cornering on rails. This car puts a smile on my face.

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  Fun to Drive - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By RJB13 - March 13 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle was the second one that I ordered. The first one had the sport suspension and 17 inch wheels. I felt there was too much noise and vibration from the combination and opted to reorder. I bought the non sport version, 5 speed, it is a lot of fun to drive and significantly more comfortable. This car is awesome. The car handles great through backroads and tight turns and did great in the snow storms. A friend who has taken high speed driving and handling courses for work drove it and couldnt believe the grip the AWD had on the road at the speeds we cornered. Over all, Im very satisfied.

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  Loving the Adriatic Blue 3.0 - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By BabyJagOwner - March 13 - 2:00 am

  I recently bought the 3.0 model and have put 2000 miles on the car already. So far the car has been flawless. I havent had the whining drivetrain problem that others have experienced. This car gets looks wherever I go. I recently drove it home on an icy michigan night when other cars (about 20)were in the ditch my AWD jag just kept on going and got me home safe and sound. I absolutely recommend this car to anyone lookin for a classy and practical car.

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  Very Impressed! - 2004 Jaguar XK-Series
  By bwanna - March 8 - 2:00 am

  It was a present for my wife. The criterior was elegant,classy and a convertible. She fell in love with immediatly and after the test drive was convinced. The same day we had driven a Mercedes 500, a Boxer,a Vet and a Saab. But in the end as much as I may have settled for another car she felt the XK8 was the one! The dealership was terrific and we took delivery the next day.

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  great drive - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By eyemd - March 8 - 2:00 am

  only 2000 miles but seems like a winner. i have an xk8 conv. and this is as much fun. great in snow with awd and traction control(sport model)