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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  E-Type Redux - 2003 Jaguar XK-Series
  By Chat Noir - October 25 - 10:00 am

  For 30 years, Ive always owned a sports car as my primary transport -- because I just really love to drive. The XK8 is really my first sports car (if you can call it that) for grownups. Actually, its really a GT or a GGT (Greatest Grand Tourer) with the emphasis on the "Gee!" Its kinda like the girl you marry, after youve had a lot of flings. Nothing else comes close to the coupe for poise and polish. Its design is timeless -- like its lineal ancester, the XKE. You dont own this car for the numbers -- you own it for its style. Its incredibly sleek and sexy and just whispers elegance. Its a lady.

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  The Best Of The Best! - 2004 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By oconnore - October 20 - 10:00 am

  When driving this magnificent vehicle, you always feel you own the road! Before purchasing the 2004 Jaguar XJ, I previously owned a 2000 XJ8 and felt the same way about it as I do about the 2004 Jag... Special! During my life, I have owned Saabs, Mercedes-Benzes, BMWs, and a Range Rover, but I have found that driving a Jaguar is like driving no other! What a car!

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  Underappreciated gem of a car! - 2006 Jaguar X-Type
  By aluni@DC - October 18 - 7:00 pm

  Came down to this and a 2007 Mercedes C Class 280 4 matric. I picked the X- Type for a more stylish exterior styling and more interior space. The Mercedes had slightly better drivability and slightly better interior build quality. But the overall styling of the X-type and the super low miles (10K on the X Type v. 39K on the C280) won me over. Both cars handled well and the engines seemed very comparable. I really like how smoothly the Jaguar drives and how comfortable the seats are. The interior space is excellent on this. I have absolutely no regrets about my decision. The overall quality on this car seems solid.

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  Still unsure - 2004 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By cubby - October 17 - 10:40 am

  Always liked the looks of the Jag, I have yet to find anything I dont like about it (well maybe). The car has a little too much road noise. It comes from the front area and is more noticeable at slow speeds and when slowing down to a stop. It has all weather tires and this might be the reason for this or maybe Im being a little over the top.

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  WOW! - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By bpagano - October 13 - 2:02 pm

  I just purchased a 2003 S-type. I couldnt be happier. It had 82K miles on it and drives like its brand new. I cant believe I own a Jag. I happy as heck......

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  The Cat is on the prowl - 2011 Jaguar XJ
  By ALPHA JAG XJL - October 11 - 10:00 am

  The car is amazing. Interior is well crafted. Drove on the highway for 8 hours this week-end. No fatigue, body aches, etc. Excellent ride. Gas mileage on the highway is outstanding. One word to describe the engine, POWERFUL.

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  Hit the Road - 2005 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Michael Roberts - October 8 - 6:53 pm

  I have owned my new XJ8-L for 6 months and have put a total of 5200 miles on it. The longest road trip was from Portland Oregon to Palm Springs California about 1100 miles on I-5 . This road trip was 15 1/2 hours with stops just for gas and food. The seats are very comfortable and the car was a dream. After driving that distance you really get to know what your driving. Most impressive besides the handling and endless accelerating power was the fuel mileage, I was averaging in the high 20s and thats at speeds between 75 and 90mph most impressive for such a large car. The car never lost power even going up the LA Grapevine. The return trip was just as much fun and in record time!

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  Awesome - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By Snook - October 7 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for about nine months and I havent had any problems. The car performs very well and is certainly a head turner. I have had many people say that they really like the way that this car looks. I appreciate the new renovations this year as opposed to the last years model.

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  The 2003 S Type - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By gonzo22 - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Its the little things that annoy me. The automatic trunk release doesnt always pop open all the way. The climate control stopped working and got stuck on hot, very hot! Overall the car has a nice smooth ride and its very comfortable. All the luxury features are a plus. The car has excellent accelaration with all the controls at your fingertips.

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  Love My Jag - 2000 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By braceand - October 6 - 10:00 am

  I have owned and driven, Cadillacs, Lincoln Continentals, Mercedes Benz and Porsche. Although these are all fine vehicles, the Jaguar XJ8 is the most complete as far as reliability, comfort, ease of driving and maintenance.