Jaguar - All Car History
Jaguar produces some of the world's most luxurious cars. Jaguar's ethos has helped develop cars that are exclusive, beautifully designed, with high performance and overall, the excitement of driving a Jaguar. As Jaguar's design director said: "You should always feel better when you get out of a Jaguar than when you first get into it." True to this heritage, the latest addition to the Jaguar portfolio - the all new Jaguar XF - has the heart of a sports car and the looks of a grand tourer, bringing together style, power and performance. JAGUAR HISTORY Jaguar was founded by Sir William Lyons in Blackpool, 1922, making motorcycle sidecars, then car bodies. The company moved to Coventry and in 1935 the Jaguar name was introduced for the first time with a new saloon and sports car range. During the war, aircraft and fabrication work had the side effect of introducing the company to aircraft design. Jaguar enjoyed racing success in the 1950s, notably at Le Mans. The famous E-type was introduced in 1961.
JAGUAR FACTS
Type: Subsidiary
Founded: 1922
Founder: Sir William Lyons
Key People: Ratan Tata, Chairman, Geoff Polites, CEO Mike O'Driscoll, Managing Director
Industry: Automotive
Products: Cars
Parent: Tata Motors
FEATURED MODELS
JAGUAR S-TYPE a mid-size luxury/executive car introduced in 1998, the name is a revival of a previous Jaguar model, the S-Type introduced in 1963
JAGUAR XJ - a classic luxury saloon, the XJ was launched in 1968 and has served as the Jaguar flagship model for most of its life, which continues today
JAGUAR XK - a grand tourer produced since 1996, the XK replaced the XJS and is available as a coupé and a convertible
JAGUAR X-TYPE - a compact executive car produced since 2001 and available in 4-door saloon and 4-door estate versions
DID YOU KNOW?
As soon as Jaguar founder William Lyons turned 21, he formed the Swallow Sidecar Company in September 1922, with a bank overdraft of £1,000. The company later changed its name to Jaguar.
Jaguar enjoyed success in the Le Mans 24 Hours race with victories in 1951 and 1953 with the C-Type, and in 1955, 1956 and 1957 with the D-Type.
The Jaguar 2.7 V6 diesel engine is so efficient that it requires a supplementary heater to supply warm air to the cabin, and the engine's fuel pressure is a constant 1650 bar, 750 times more than a fully inflated tyre.
"JaguarVoice" enables Jaguar drivers to adjust functions simply by pressing the steering wheel's "voice" button and speaking. Drivers can alter climate control settings, set a navigation route home, control TV, radio, CD, tape and make a hands-free telephone call, all without moving their hands from the steering wheel or taking their eyes off the road.
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Did Ford Take Jaguar Down The Wrong Road?
When Ford purchased Jaguar Cars Ltd in 1989, the Jaguar brand had for some years been tarnished with a reputation for poor build quality. There can be no doubt that the financial investment and quality control that Ford brought with it saved the Jaguar marque from an untimely end. However, Ford has been unable to make a financial success of Jaguar -- did Ford misjudge the Jaguar marque and its past success?
Jaguar's past
From its humble beginnings as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, and for much of Jaguar's subsequent history, William Lyons, the company's co-founder, had a fundamental approach to his cars: to produce distinctive, high quality automobiles but at as low a cost as possible. The first of these, the Austin Seven Swallow, was simply a rebodied version of the humble Austin Seven because, Lyons believed, "... that it would also appeal to a lot of people if it had a more luxurious and attractive body."
In later years, the success of iconic Jaguars such as the XKs and E-Types were in part due to their distinct blend of forward-looking style and sophisticated use of technology. The power and quality of the XK engines used for the Jaguar XK120, and subsequent cars for many years, was far in advance of other comparable engines of the period. Similarly the much improved ride quality and road holding abilities of these cars had left their counterparts behind.
It was much the same with the Jaguar E-Type, a sensation when it was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961. Here was a race-bred, visually sensational, 150mph sports car at just half the price of its nearest rival, the Aston Martin DB4.
The Jaguar XKs, and the C and D-Types which evolved from them, also enjoyed much success in sports car racing, dominating the Le Mans 24 Hour race in the 1950s and contributing to the success of the marque. In the 1980s Jaguar again returned to Le Mans with the Group C XJRs, winning in 1988 and 1990.
Ford's tenureship of the Jaguar brand
Since the mid 1990s, Ford has launched several new Jaguars, including the XJ8/XJR, S-Type, X-Type and XK8/R. The common theme amongst these models is that they have all taken their styling cues from historical Jaguars such as the D and E-Types of the '50s and '60s for the XK8, and the XJ6s and XJ12s of the '70s and '80s for the saloons.
One can certainly appreciate Ford's reasoning behind the decision to ape the styles that proved so successful for Jaguar in the past, but by doing so they appear to have missed the point of what made those cars successful in the first place: that the styles then were looking forward rather than backwards.
In an attempt to recoup the substantial financial investment in Jaguar, and in keeping with its own history, Ford created the X-Type as a "low-budget" Jaguar that was intended to appeal to the fleet market and those for whom the top-end models were too expensive. Yet this model never sold in the volumes that Ford hoped for outside of the UK. For many potential purchasers, the model shared too much in common with Ford's own Mondeo to be distinctively 'Jaguar', and for younger owners the car bore too much resemblance to the Jaguar XJ -- a model traditionally driven by older owners. It was also a highly competitive market and the X-Type was in direct competition with BMW, Mercedes and, at the time, the similarly styled Rover 75.
Yet on occasions Ford have created much interest amongst motoring journalists and enthusiasts with a number of concept cars. The XK180, and similarly styled F-Type, were greatly praised and could, potentially, have tapped into the emerging market for roadsters alongside the Porsche Boxter and Mercedes-Benz SLK, yet neither were translated into production models.
Sporting pretensions
With Jaguar's past successes in motor sport having added much to the brand, Ford attempted to recreate this with its entry into Formula 1 racing. Formula 1, however, with its vast budgets and tendency to be dominated by one or two top teams was an ambitious leap and the Jaguar team never managed to challenge for world championship points on a consistent basis.
In hindsight it would, perhaps, have been better to concentrate efforts in other motorsport categories. Indeed, the XKRs run in the Trans-Am series proved very successful, securing four manufacturers' titles. Had the F1 budget been spread across other classes, Jaguar's presence in world motorsport may have been a different story.
Too much too late
With the launch of the much praised next-generation XK/R in 2006, and the XF due out in late 2007 to replace the S-Type, Jaguar's model line-up does finally appear to be looking forwards both in terms of style and technology -- a substantial reason for the success of the brand throughout Jaguar's history But with Ford having experienced financially troubled times over the last few years, the sale of Jaguar would inject much needed capital back into Ford, just as the Jaguar marque looks set to turn the corner and experience a resurgence in popularity.
Jaguar's future
To secure its future and to continue as one of history's most evocative automotive marques, Jaguar needs a parent company that will allow its designers to continue with the innovation and dynamism shown in the current XK range and upcoming XF. For much of its history, the Jaguar marque has been ahead of the field with design and performance -- its new owners, however they may be, would do well to bear that in mind.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Durban
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| Jaguar Cars |
The Jaguar Sports Car
A review of The Jaguar Sports Car, covering development, important features, and technical data of each model in the range, from the SS100 to the E-Type.
In this Article, I offer a nostalgic look at the Jaguar Sports Car, one of an elite group of classic cars, which was manufactured during the period 1936 to 1974.
In 1922, the Swallow Sidecar Company was created. Its initial aim was to produce motorcycle sidecars, and then move into passenger cars, such as the Austin 7 Swallow.
In 1935, the company name was changed to Jaguar Cars, and the improved range of cars was called SS Jaguars.
The Jaguar SS100
The first real Jaguar sports car was the Jaguar SS100, built between 1936-1940. The "100" referred to the fact that it was capable of exceeding 100 mph, something almost unheard of at that time.
Following WW2, the twin overhead cam, straight 6-cylinder, Jaguar XK engine was created.
The Jaguar XK120
In 1948, it was decided to add the new engine to a sports car. The XK120 Jaguar sports car, with the XK engine, was the talk of the 1948 London Motor Show.
The XK120 was a two seater convertible, initially with aluminium panels. The "120" referred to this models top speed of 120 mph.
In 1950, an all-steel version became the norm. A fixed head coupe variant appeared in 1951, plus a drop head coupe in 1953. It used a 3.4 litre XK engine, with an aluminium cylinder head, a compression ratio of 8:1, and two SU carburettors.
In 1949, a prototype XK120 achieved an average speed of 133 mph on a Belgian motorway.
By 1954, when production of these Jaguar cars ended, 7,631 convertibles, 2,678 fixed head coupes, and 1,769 drop head coupes were built.
The Jaguar C-Type
In 1951, the C-Type Jaguar sports car was introduced. It was also designated the XK120-C, where the "C" referred to competition. It was, in essence, a racing car.
It incorporated an aerodynamically designed aluminium body built onto a lightweight tubular space frame chassis. The running gear was that from the XK120.
Its tuned 3.4 litre XK engine had its compression ratio raised to 9:1, but it retained the two SU carburettors.
The engine in later C-Types was fitted with high lift camshafts, and the two SU's were replaced by three twin-choke Webber carburettors.
In total, there were 53 C-Types built. It was built for racing and, in 1951 and 1953, won the Le Mans 24 hour race.
The Jaguar D-Type
In 1954, Jaguar Cars introduced the D-Type Jaguar sports car.
Like the later versions of the C-Type, it used the 3.4 litre XK engine with three twin-choke Webber carburettors.
The structural design, however, was well ahead of its time. It used a monocoque structure with aluminium body panels, and an aluminium tubing sub frame. This produced a low drag, aerodynamic profile.
The D-Type Jaguar cars were designed for racing:
In 1954, a D-Type won the Sebring 12 hour race
It won the 1955 and 1956 Le Mans 24 hour race
In the 1957 Le Mans, D-Types took five of the top six places - this was the peak of its racing history
The Jaguar XK140
In 1954, the XK120 was succeeded by the XK140 Jaguar sports car.
There were minor styling changes on the new car. It was offered as a two seater convertible, a fixed head coupe, and a drop head coupe.
The standard engine was the XK 3.4 litre, with the special equipment modification as used on the XK120. The power was increased to 190 bhp.
The XK 3.4 litre engine, with the C-Type head (SE model), as used on the XK120, and developing 210 bhp, was offered as an optional extra.
The Jaguar XK150
In 1957, the XK140 was replaced by the XK150 Jaguar sports car. Like its predecessor, it was offered as a two seater convertible, a fixed head coupe and a drop head coupe.
A quick was to distinguish between the two Jaguar cars, XK140 and XK150, was that the latter used a one-piece windscreen, whilst the former used a split screen.
Both the suspension and chassis was as per the XK140, and the steering was rack and pinion.
The basic engine was the XK140 unit, with the C-Type head, producing 190 bhp. However, more common was the 3.4 SE unit, with C-Type head and larger exhaust valves, producing 210 bhp.
In 1958, the 3.4 "S" engine appeared, producing 250 bhp.
In 1960, the 3.4 litre engine was bored out to 3.8 litres, producing 220 bhp. In the 3.8"S" form, it developed 265 bhp.
When production of the XK150 ended in 1960, 2,265 convertibles, 4,445 fixed head coupes, and 2,672 drop head coupes of these fabulous Jaguar cars had been built.
The Jaguar E-Type
In 1961, the enigmatic E-Type Jaguar sports car was launched.
The Series 1 E-Type was powered by a 3.8 litre, triple SU carburetted engine used in the XK150S.
In 1964, the 3.8 litre engine was increased to 4.2 litres. The power and top speed from both these Jaguar cars was the same, although torque was increased.
Up to 1967, the Series 1 was easily recognised by its glass-covered headlights. It was offered as a two seater convertible, or a fixed head coupe. A 2+2 version of the fixed head coupe was available in 1966.
There was a transition series of Jaguar cars built from 1967-1968, between the Series 1 and Series 2 E-Types. This was referred to as the Series 1.5.
By 1968, 15,498 Series 1 3.8, 16,195 Series 1 4.2, and 6,726 Series 1.5 Jaguar cars were built.
In 1969, the Series 2 E-Type Jaguar sports car was introduced. It was easily distinguished from the Series 1 by the open headlights, and wrap-around rear bumper.
Once again, it was offered as a two seater convertible, a fixed head coupe, and a 2+2 variant. It was powered by the XK 4.2 litre engine fitted with three SU carburettors.
By 1971, 4,855 fixed head coupes, 8,628 convertibles, and 5,326 2+2 variants of these Jaguar cars were built.
In 1971, the Series 3 Jaguar E-Type launched. It was offered as a two seater convertible, and a 2+2 version, but the fixed head coupe variant was discontinued.
The Series 3 was powered by a new 5.3 litre, V-12 cylinder, double overhead cam, XK engine. It is easily identifiable by the distinctive front grille and fishtail exhaust.
I feel that the Series 3 was the most desirable of all the E-Types produced by Jaguar Cars.
By 1974, 7,990 convertibles, and 7,297 2+2's were built.
This marked the end of the E-Type Jaguar sports car.
Perhaps this stroll down memory lane might have answered, or at least shed light on, a possible question:
"Which Jaguar Sports Car Is Your Favourite?"
However, should this question still remain unanswered, I will be reviewing, in some detail, in future articles within this website, the entire range of Jaguar sports cars which were featured in the memorable era spanning 1936 to 1974.
I hope you join me in my nostalgic travels "down sports car memory lane".
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Radford
Auto Parts Store Helps Revive Old Jaguar XJS' Racing Prowess: Tough & Durable Jaguar Suspension
Jaguar Parts and Automobile Parts, your leading Jaguar parts and car parts provider showcases the best Jaguar Parts for XJS and more!
Featured in the store are excellent quality Jaguar suspension parts for Jaguar XJS. Built to match original XJS parts' standards, these are perfect for your car's suspension upgrade. With excellently made Jaguar XJS ball points, Jaguar coil spring, Jaguar control arm seal, Jaguar XJS subframe, Jaguar sway bar mount and many other suspension parts, you are sure to achieve better handling, ride quality and acceleration and thus, revive its innate Jaguar racing prowess.
Like the largest feline animals--the Jaguar--from which it is named, Jaguar luxury saloons and sports cars take pride of having strongest and the most durable body structure, performance auto parts and mechanical components. They are as strong as Jaguar's jaw structure and brawny body that allows it to climb and swim faster than other animals in its class.
The Jaguar XJS is one of its remarkable models. It is a luxury GT coupe introduced in 1975 as a replacement to the legendary Jaguar E-Type. Although the Jaguar XJS did not equal E-Type's prestige in the field of racing, It featured a more aerodynamic body and more advanced auto parts than the earlier model and was highly competitive in many racing events, reinforcing Jaguar's long-time reputation as a top sports car maker.
The last of the Jaguar XJS models rolled off the production line in 1996 so it is now being eyed by many car enthusiasts as another great addition to their car collection.
Owning an old Jaguar XJS model is easier nowadays with the wealth of Jaguar parts online stores that provide the best auto parts deals on various high quality Jaguar Parts and Auto Parts. Jaguar parts - used Jaguar parts and new Jaguar parts alike abound in the market giving a wide variety of choices ranging from Jaguar accessories, to Jaguar electrical system parts, Jaguar mechanical parts, Jaguar body parts, Jaguar transmission parts and even service tools, which you can use if you want to work on car repair on your own.
Jaguar Parts and Automobile Parts is your trusted source of Jaguar parts and car parts, including the best suspension parts for your car. Suspension is the part of your car that connects the wheels to the frame, so the quality of these parts can make or unmake your driving satisfaction. Getting these parts from a reliable Jaguar Parts and Auto Parts source is ensuring not just great handling but most especially, your safety.
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