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SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS OF BEAUTIFUL, FAST CARS 1935 2010

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SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS OF BEAUTIFUL, FAST CARS

1935

2010

CONTENTS >

Foreword

Jaguar through the decades

SS 2.5-litre Saloon

SS100

The original XKs

Sir William Lyons

C-Type

D-Type

Norman Dewis & Lofty England

XKSS

The Browns Lane fire

Mark II

Great Jaguar Engines

E-Type

XJ13

William Heynes & Malcolm Sayer

The original XJs

XJ-S

Jaguar in motorsport

XJ220

XK8

The Modern Era – XK, XF & XJ

Ian Callum

Environment & the future

2

3

8

10

12

16

18

22

26

28

32

34

36

38

42

44

46

50

52

56

58

60

64

66

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

SIR WILLIAM LYONS, FOUNDER, JAGUAR CARS

“THE CAR IS THE CLOSEST

THING WE WILL EVER CREATE TO SOMETHING

THAT IS ALIVE”

< 75 YEARS OF JAGUAR

FOREWORD >Jaguar has always stood for

engineering excellence and

beautiful design and here we

celebrate some of our highpoints,

of which there have been many.

From the beginning Jaguar has

always looked to the future,

driven by passionate innovators

such as William Lyons, Malcolm

Sayer, Bill Heynes and Norman

Dewis. They created not simply

innumerable iconic Jaguars but

also the company that built

them. Along the way they

broke records, won trophies and

established Jaguar’s reputation

for innovative engineering

around the world.

Today it is our responsibility to

uphold the legacy they left us

and continue to build beautiful,

fast Jaguars for the next 75

years and beyond.

MIKE O’DRISCOLL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, JAGUAR CARS

1930s

1935

19431950

1952 1966

19631972

1973

1988

1998

2010

2008

2006

1996

1984

1984

1990

19902003

1975

1961

1957

1969

1937

1948

19361945

1951

1970

1983

1972

1985

2009

1992

2000

1938

1949

1956 1968

1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

The Jaguar name is adopted for an all-new range of cars from the SS Car Company

XK straight-six engine developed during night-time firewatch shifts at the Jaguar factory

Stirling Moss drives an XK120 to victory in the Tourist Trophy

Jaguar unveils the iconic E-Type at the Geneva Show

The lightweight racing E-Type is unveiled

Malcolm Sayer, the aerodynamics genius who shaped the E-Type, dies

An all-new straight-six engine is launched in the XJ-S cabriolet

Jaguar finishes 1-2 at Le Mans and in celebration announces a roadgoing version of its racer

Ian Callum appointed Design Director at Jaguar

Ground-breaking aluminium-bodied XJ saloon launched

Ian Callum-designed, second-generation XK sports car unveiled

Jaguar sold to Tata Motors of India

A largely standard XFR becomes the fastest Jaguar ever, hitting 226mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats

All-new XJ luxury saloon goes on sale

Jaguar bought by the Ford Motor Company

Jaguar XJ220 supercar goes on sale, becoming the fastest production car in the world

XJ-S ceases production and is replaced by the XK8 powered by a new V8 engine

The Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust is opened, displaying more than 140 vehicles from the two marques’ histories

Jaguar is floated on the London Stock Exchange and becomes an independent company again

A Jaguar XJ-S is victorious in the European Touring Car Championship

Jaguar wins the World Sports Car Championship for the second time and Le Mans for the sixth

V12 is fitted to the XJ saloon, creating the world’s fastestfour-door production car

XK straight-six installed in the Scorpion tank, making it the fastest tracked vehicle in the world

E-Type production ends to make way for the XJ-S

Sir William Lyons retiresJaguar merges with the British Motor Corporation to create British Motor Holdings

XJ6 saloon, the last car to be designed by Sir William Lyons, is launched

William Heynes retires

Jaguar C-Type wins Le Mans at its first attempt

Jaguar moves to larger premises at Browns Lane in Coventry

William Lyons knighted for services to the British car industry

D-Types take the top four spots at Le Mans

Car production resumes at Browns Lane with the pre-war 2½ Litre saloon

First all-new post-war Jaguar, the Mark V saloon, launched

An XK120 achieves 132mph to become the fastest production car in the world

SS Jaguar 100 wins the International Alpine Trial

SS Jaguar 100 wins the RAC Rally

Beautiful, elegant SS100 Fixed Head Coupé unveiled at the British Motor Show

Sir William Lyons dies at his home, Wappenbury Hall, Leamington Spa

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

> 7

BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED ENGINEERING AND STRIKING DESIGN”

“TODAY, MORE THAN EVER, JAGUAR IS A

TRULY EMOTIVE BRITISH BRAND

OFFERING

IAN CALLUM, DESIGN DIRECTOR, JAGUAR CARS

Having taken sole control of SS Cars in 1934, William Lyons felt that a new name was needed to signify his leap from coachbuilder to fully fledged manufacturer. ‘Jaguar’ was the suggestion made by his advertising agency for the first car.

Lyons himself proved as adept at marketing when he launched the first car to wear the bold

new name: the SS Jaguar 2.5 Litre Saloon. Rather than share the limelight with other manufacturers by unveiling the car at the British Motor Show, it was presented to the world’s press at an exclusive launch event held in the Mayfair Hotel.

When the car was revealed, Lyons asked his assembled guests to speculate on how much the

2.5 Litre Saloon would cost. The average guess was £632, at which point it was revealed to everyone’s astonishment that this handsome, luxurious machine in fact cost a mere £385.

The car was based on a new box-section cruciform chassis designed by Lyons and assembled exclusively for SS Cars’ use by a frame engineering

company, then topped with a traditional ash-framed, steel-panelled body. The straight-six engine was supplied by Standard, albeit in modified form; engine consultant Harry Weslake had redesigned it to incorporate overhead rather than side valves. With twin carburettors it produced more than 100 horsepower, with performance

enough to better many sports cars of its day.A 1.5-litre version was also offered on a

shortened chassis yet with similarly elegant, flowing lines and a 3.5-litre followed two years later. Lyons expressed his own faith in his new car in a fittingly touching manner by building one – pictured above – for his beloved wife Greta.

SS JAGUAR 2.5 LITRE SALOON

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN...

1935 - 1937 >

The first Jaguar is unveiled in the suitably luxurious surroundings of the Mayfair Hotel.

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

> 9

The first open-topped sports car to carry the Jaguar name was the SS100 and its low, lithe stance, sweeping side profile and elegant detailing truly set the tone for every sporting Big Cat that followed.

Unveiled to the world in 1935, the SS100 was a two-seater powered by a 2.5-litre straight-six. Developed from a Standard Motor Company unit, the engine was greatly improved by consultant engineer Harry Weslake, who converted it from side to overhead valve operation. Fitted to the lightweight SS100 it proved a flier, as Lyons himself proved when he took it to an SS Car Club rally in Blackpool. There it lopped 6.6 seconds off the record for a “half mile sprint with obstacles”.

Described by the factory as “intended for competition work”, the SS100 went on to prove its worth in that sphere, awarded a Coupe des Glaciers at the Alpine Trial in 1936 and winning the RAC Rally the following year. The Alpine Trial car, known as ‘Old Number 8’ was then used as a test bed for an enlarged 3.5-litre straight-six, which was offered to customers in 1938. By then the SS100 undoubtedly had the performance to match its looks, with a top speed of 100mph and a 0-60mph time close to 10 seconds, yet it still offered comfort and usability.

For the 1938 British Motor Show, Lyons penned a coupé version of the SS100. With beautiful sweeping curves and Art Deco detailing it proved a sensation but sadly, with the outbreak of war the following year, the show car was the only one ever built.

1938 - 1941 >

THE FIRST JAGUAR SPORTS CAR

JAGUAR SS100

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

> 11

< 75 YEARS OF JAGUAR

During World War Two, Jaguar returned to its roots and manufactured sidecars for the military, as well as maintaining both bombers and fighters for the RAF. During this time, Lyons and his Chief Engineer William Heynes developed a replacement for the ageing Standard engine.

The powerplant was advanced for its day, boasting an alloy cylinder head, twin carburettors and dual-overhead camshafts, all of which contributed to an impressive 160bhp. Lyons understood the importance of creating a stir and sanctioned a limited production sports car to showcase the new engine at the 1948 British Motor Show.

THE FASTEST CAR IN THE WORLD

1949-1961 >

THE ORIGINAL XKs

> 13

Designed by Lyons himself, the XK120 created not a stir but a sensation. At an austere post-war show, crowds flocked to gaze at the car’s waterfall grille, faired headlights and sensual side profile. Although the original limited run of 240 aluminium-bodied special editions was built, demand was so high that series production in steel was in full swing by 1950. The car was offered as a simple open-topped roadster, an elegant fixed head coupé and a luxurious drophead coupé.

The car’s name was chosen to indicate its top speed and in order to prove the potential of the 3.4-litre straight-six, Jaguar organised a very special demonstration. On 30 May 1949, a section of the Ostend-Jabbeke motorway in Belgium was closed and Jaguar test driver Ron ‘Soapy’ Sutton put the XK120 through its paces. In standard trim, the car beat its target speed by 6mph and with windscreen removed achieved 132mph, making it the world’s fastest production car.

The XK120’s astonishing performance was matched by peerless reliability, an unbeatable combination in motorsport. The most famous of these competition cars was ‘NUB 120’, that Ian Appleyard drove to three Alpine Cup victories and two RAC Rally wins. His wife and co-driver Pat was William Lyons’ daughter. The XK120 also proved its worth on the track, with a 1-2-3 finish at the 1950 Tourist Trophy. The winning car was driven by one Stirling Moss. In 1954 the car achieved a pair of remarkable overseas victories; firstly at Australia’s inaugural 24-hour race at the punishing Mount Druit circuit and followed by Jaguar becoming the first foreign marque to win a NASCAR stock car race.

That same year saw the XK120 evolve into the more substantial and powerful XK140. The following year a redesign created the mature, luxurious XK150, which could now be bought with a 250bhp straight-six. In 1960 Jaguar upped the engine to 3.8 litres, allowing the XK150 to top 135mph.

< 75 YEARS OF JAGUAR

> 14

The XK140, introduced in 1954 and seen here in competition spec, was the first Jaguar sports car to be offered with automatic transmission.

Beautiful, glamorous and fast, the XK series proved itself on road and track, remaining in production for more than a decade.

t seems to be a characteristic of the motor industry that the most enduring, innovative companies are the result of one man’s passion

and determination. Nowhere is this more apparent than with Jaguar and its founder Sir William Lyons.

Bill Lyons was born in Blackpool on September 4, 1901 to father William, a music shop proprietor and mother Minnie, daughter of a mill owner. Displaying a passion for the still relatively young automotive industry and an aptitude for engineering, Lyons undertook an apprenticeship at Crossley Motors in Manchester.

Returning to Blackpool in 1919, Lyons joined his local Sunbeam dealership, Brown and Mallalieu, as a salesman. It was a youthful indulgence in motorcycles that first introduced him to a neighbour, William Walmsley, who was building elegant aluminium sidecars. On Lyons’ 21st birthday the two men formed a company, funded by a £500 bank loan guaranteed by their fathers, and named it Swallow Sidecars. Business flourished and Lyons’ ambitions grew. When Austin introduced their cheap, basic Seven, he designed a stylish two-seater body for it and secured an order for 500 from

Henlys, a leading London garage. In 1928, the company was moved to Coventry, heart of the burgeoning British motor industry. Jaguar was on its way.

Lyons bought out his partner Walmsley in 1934 and concentrated solely on coachbuilding, basing his creations around Standard Motors chassis and engines. He brought on board a brilliant engineer, William Heynes, and when the Jaguar factory was given over to the war effort in 1939, the pair arranged to be stationed on firewatch together. It was during those long nights that the pair created the parameters for the maker of beautiful, fast cars that would emerge in 1945.

That first iconic post-war leaping cat, the XK120, was entirely a Lyons design; remarkable considering he wasn’t a trained draughtsman. Instead he worked with full-sized mock-ups, altering their curves by eye until he was satisfied. It was this technique, backed by the aerodynamic genius Malcolm Sayer, that led to some of the most iconic shapes of all time.

Plain Bill Lyons became Sir William in 1956 when he was knighted for services to the motor industry and in particular Jaguar’s export success. Sir William remained chairman of Jaguar after its merger with BMC in 1966 until his retirement in 1972. He died at his home, Wappenbury Hall in Leamington Spa in February 1985.

MEN BEHIND THE MARQUE

SIR WILLIAM LYONS

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

I

“SUCCESS COMES FROM YOU; FROM BELIEVING IN WHAT YOU ARE DOING”

> 17

With his production cars proving to have the performance and stamina to win on racetracks and rally stages across the globe, Lyons was quick to realise the publicity a pure-bred Jaguar racing car could generate, raising his beloved marque’s reputation still further.

So in early 1951, a secret project was initiated to transplant the XK120’s mechanicals into the heart of a racing car. A lightweight, multi-tube chassis was designed by engineer Bob Knight and the 3.4-litre straight-six’s power output boosted to 200bhp with bigger exhaust valves, high-lift cams and larger carburettors.

JAGUAR C-TYPE

1951-1953 >

THE WINNING BEGINS

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

> 19

Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful racing cars ever made, the XK120C as it was initially known, was designed by Malcolm Sayer, who had joined Jaguar from the aircraft industry. Sayer used aerodynamic principles in designing the car, making the shape not just sensational but slippery and, thanks to its construction techniques, it weighed nearly 25 percent less than the XK on which it was based.

Three cars were completed just in time for the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans. The trio were given to the driver pairings of Stirling Moss and Jack Fairman; Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead; and Leslie Johnson and Clemente Biondetti. The Jaguars didn’t remain an unknown quantity for long, with Moss setting off at a furious pace and breaking the lap record. However oil pipe breakages on his and Biondetti’s car left the Walker and Whitehead duo to claim victory for the C-Type in its first ever outing.

The following year the C-Types raced with modified, streamlined bodies but these led to overheating and all three cars retired. The 1953 race, in contrast, would prove to be the C-Type’s greatest. A disc braking system, originally developed for aircraft, was adapted for Jaguar’s use by tyre manufacturer Dunlop. With more power and even lighter bodies, the C-Types proved literally uncatchable, their innovative brakes allowing them, lap after lap, to decelerate far quicker than any other car at the end of the Mulsanne Straight. C-Types finished first, second and fourth, with the winning car of Duncan Hamilton and Major Tony Rolt achieving an average of 105mph, the first time the race had been completed at triple-figure speeds.

In another piece of Lyons-inspired publicity, the company sent a telegram to the Queen dedicating its win to her – in the coronation year – and received a congratulatory reply from Her Majesty.

The C-Type was the first of many Le Mans winners for Jaguar, beginning a relationship with the French circuit that continues to this day.

No 1

THE DISC BRAKE

The introduction of disc brakes was possibly Jaguar’s greatest contribution to road safety. They were first fitted to the C-Type raced by Stirling Moss and Norman Dewis in the 1952 Mille Miglia. Italian race officials were mystified by the new technology and demanded a demonstration to prove it was in fact a brake and not some illegal addition.

75 YEARS OF INNOVATIONS

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

> 21

< 75 YEARS OF JAGUAR

Despite the failure of the streamlined C-Type in 1952, aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer was convinced a more slippery shape would reap rewards, particularly at Le Mans where the 3½-mile Mulsanne Straight accounted for nearly half the circuit’s length. A few miles an hour eked out here would pay handsome dividends over the rest of the lap.

Just as the C-Type had pioneered the use of disc brakes in competition, the D-Type was the first serious use of monocoque construction in motorsport. Even today, racing cars are built along the same lines; a strong central ‘tub’ in which the driver sits, with the major mechanical components carried on front and rear subframes.

Sayer’s design to clothe the radical new chassis was based on the principle that form follows function and underwent many hours of wind-tunnel testing. Nevertheless, the elements that made it so slippery – the oval air intake, swooping bonnet, half-faired rear wheels and stabilising tailfin – combined to create one of the most beautiful competition cars ever built. So wind-cheating was it that with the 3.4-litre engine uprated to 250bhp, top speed rose to 170mph despite the fact that the design proved to be more stable at high speeds. Testing at Le Mans in spring 1954 resulted in the D-Type smashing the previous year’s lap record by five seconds.

THE TRIUMPH OF DESIGN

JAGUAR D-TYPE

1954 - 1957 >

> 22

So the team entered that year’s race with high hopes, despite the presence of a mighty 4.9-litre V12 Ferrari. Its optimism was, at first, well-founded, with Stirling Moss taking the lead by the evening but it was not to last; experimental fuel filters led to misfiring and lengthy pitstops. Two of the cars subsequently retired but the car driven by Duncan Hamilton and Tony Rolt soldiered on to claim second.

For 1955 the cars were lighter, more slippery, more powerful and fitted with limited-slip differentials for cleaner cornering and acceleration. To counter the power of Jaguar’s disc brakes Mercedes had fitted an airbrake to its 300SLR, which was effectively a two-seater version of its Formula 1 car. The two manufacturers were neck-and-neck and during the heated battle Mike Hawthorn raised the lap record to more than 122mph.

However, the 1955 race will be remembered for being the occasion of motorsport’s greatest tragedy when the Mercedes of Pierre Levegh struck a slow-moving Austin-Healey and was launched into the crowd. Levegh and more than 80 spectators were killed and scores more injured. Hawthorn and co-driver Ivor Bueb recorded a very hollow victory and the weekend proved doubly tragic for

William Lyons when his only son John was killed in a road accident.

The following year Jaguar adopted fuel-injection to increase power and again entered three cars. Unfortunately two crashed out of the race and the third limped round with fuelling problems. However, a private entry by the Scottish outfit Ecurie Ecosse, running on carburettors, outpaced factory teams from Aston Martin and Ferrari to claim victory.

Jaguar withdrew from competition after the race and handed its cars to Ecurie Ecosse and the American Briggs Cunningham team. It proved to be a fruitful decision. At the 1957 Le Mans race, fitted with enlarged 3.8-litre engines and in the face of stiff competition from Ferrari, Aston Martin and Maserati, the Scottish team recorded a 1-2 victory. D-Types also finishing third, fourth and sixth and one broke the circuit speed record, reaching 178.8mph along the Mulsanne Straight.

Taking inspiration from the aeroplanes he worked on during WW2, Malcolm Sayer added a stabilising fin to the D-Type.

Powerful as well as beautiful, the D-Types also proved uncatchable even in the hands of privateers.

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

MEN BEHIND THE MARQUE MEN BEHIND THE MARQUE

NORMAN DEWIS

LOFTY ENGLAND

f William Lyons and Malcolm Sayer were responsible for the way Jaguars looked and Bill Heynes for how they went, then Norman Dewis,

as chief development test engineer, was the man who decided how they felt.

Dewis started in the motoring industry at the age of 14 with Humber but, seeking an apprenticeship, left to join Armstrong-Siddeley. Dewis was called up by the RAF in 1939, serving as a gunner until 1943 when he helped develop the gliders used in the D-Day landings.

After his discharge, Dewis worked for Lea-Francis until poached by William Heynes in 1952, who offered him an extra two pounds a week to create a testing department at Jaguar. Over the next 36 years, Dewis would develop more than 600 testing procedures from scratch, cover more than one million development miles and dictate how 26 different Jaguars drove and rode.

Along the way Dewis co-drove for Stirling Moss in the 1952 Mille Miglia, set a speed record with the D-Type prototype in 1953 of 179mph, drove in the 1955 Le Mans and in 1961 drove through the night to deliver the brand new E-Type to Geneva for its show debut. Norman says his proudest achievement is developing the disc brake with Dunlop, first for racing and then road cars, saving countless lives over the years.

combination of factors led to Jaguar’s racing success: the power and reliability of the Walter Hassan straight-six, Bob Knight’s chassis

designs, Malcolm Sayer’s aerodynamic expertise but there was one man who stage-managed these factors into an unbeatable whole: Frank ‘Lofty’ England.

Born in 1911, England’s passion for racing was sparked by an early gift of a motorcycle from his father. England undertook an engineering apprenticeship at Daimler where he was given the nickname ‘Lofty’ due to his 6’5” height and proved adept at motorsport, finishing second in the inaugural RAC Rally in 1932.

After leaving Daimler, England worked as a mechanic for such legendary names as Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin and Prince Bira. With the outbreak of WW2, England trained as a pilot and flew Lancaster bombers in dangerous daytime bombing raids. Joining Jaguar as service manager in 1946, England was quick to realise the potential of the XK engine and led the programme to create the C-Type. It was England’s brilliant strategy in 1951 of having Stirling Moss set a blistering pace that led to that first legendary Le Mans victory.

After Jaguar withdrew from motorsport, England returned to his management role, taking over as chairman when William Lyons retired in 1972. England died at his home in Austria in 1995 at the age of 83.

I A

< 75 YEARS OF JAGUAR

> 26

One of the automotive industry’s favourite marketing maxims is ‘Win on Sunday, sell on Monday’. Nowhere was this truer than at Jaguar.

Imagine being able to walk into a car dealership and order, in road-going specification, last week’s Le Mans-winning car. At Jaguar, in the mid-1950s, that was just what William Lyons decided to offer. Not only did the firm sell its racing models to private customers but when it took the decision in 1956 to withdraw from motorsport, Lyons hit upon an ingenious solution to utilise the remaining D-Type chassis in a limited production run ‘Super-Sports’ road car.

The ‘SS’ was born; a name that neatly harked back to Jaguar’s beginnings as ‘Swallow Sidecars’. Fifty were to be produced in order to allow it to qualify for the prestigious Sports Car Club of America racing series for production sports cars.

The conversion from D-Type racer to SS was a relatively simple one, for this wasn’t to be one of the emerging breed of touring convertibles but rather a thinly disguised racer for the road. The central spine which divided driver and passenger was removed and a second door added on the left-hand side. The headrest, fairing and fin that normally sat behind the driver were removed, revealing the quick-action racing fuel filler.

1957 >

THE SUPER-SPORTS IS BORN

JAGUAR XKSS

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

> 29

A car for royalty and racing drivers. Left: the Duke of Kent test drives an XKSS

Few changes were made to adapt the D-Type for the road, meaning the XKSS retained the racer’s raw character.

< 75 YEARS OF JAGUAR

There was a measure of civilising comfort added; a full size windscreen replaced the low wind deflector and a canvas hood and sidescreens provided for inclement weather. A luggage rack was mounted on the tail while the delicately beautiful bodywork was protected front and rear with aluminium bumpers. That, save the addition of lights and indicators, was that.

This meant that customers received the same 250bhp, dry-sumped 3.4-litre straight-six engine, rack-and-pinion steering and all-round disc brakes that had powered, steered and stopped the D-Type on its way to so many victories.

Presented to the public at the New York Motor Show, the initial order of 25 cars was filled immediately and the process of converting the

remaining D-Types began. Sadly however, the XKSS was never to fulfil its true potential. A devastating fire broke out at Jaguar’s Browns Lane factory in February 1957, halting all car production for weeks. The vital tooling and jigs for the D-Type and XKSS were completely destroyed, as were nine of the completed customer cars. Of the 16 that remained, 12 went to the United States, two to Canada and one each to Hong Kong and Britain.

One of the American cars was bought by actor and racing driver Steve McQueen, who kept it for 10 years before selling it on. Of all his cars it was possibly the one he enjoyed a little too much for it netted him two driving bans. However, clearly regretting his decision, McQueen later bought the car back and owned it until his death.

> 30

JAGUAR PLANT BURNS

THE BROWNS LANE FIRE

y the mid 1950s, Jaguar was leaping ahead, having proved itself against the competition both on the track and in the showrooms. Sir William

Lyons had been knighted in 1956 for services to the motor industry and for Jaguar’s fine record in the export market in particular. The Queen and Prince Phillip had even visited the Browns Lane factory.

However, the Jaguar story could have been abruptly curtailed by the events of February 12, 1957. That evening a fire broke out in a service area of the factory and raged uncontrollably, destroying the production line on the eve of introduction of the new 3.4-litre saloon and XK150.

The damage was considerable, somewhere in the region of £3 million, a colossal sum at the time. However the workforce was undaunted and efforts to clear the rubble and wreckage were immediately underway. Damaged cars were cut up for scrap and their components rendered unusable while some production was transferred to the former Jaguar factory at Foleshill, by now owned by Dunlop.

Incredibly, Browns Lane was back in action just a fortnight after the terrible events of the fire, working at an incredible one-third capacity. Indeed, by this time, the first batch of a hundred 3.4-litre cars had already been shipped to America. Speaking of the incredible efforts involved in rebuilding the assembly line and plant, Sir William Lyons said: “It’s my workmen who deserve any praise that is going. They’ve been magnificent.”

B

“IT’S MY WORKMEN

WHO DESERVE ANY PRAISE

THAT IS GOING. THEY’VE BEEN

MAGNIFICENT”

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

> 33

If any further proof were needed from Jaguar that racing improves the breed, it came with the introduction of the Mark II, the car that defined the small, sporting saloon template still copied by manufacturers the world over to this day.

The Mark II was derived from the 1955 2.4 saloon that itself broke new ground for Jaguar by being its first monocoque design. Inspired by the success of the D-Type, the car had a similarly stiff central structure and subframe-mounted suspension. It also, of course, had the already legendary straight-six engine in 2.4 and 3.4-litre forms.

In updating the car to create the Mark II, William Lyons proved he had lost none of his deftness of touch when it came to design. By replacing the thick metal door frames with slim chrome surrounds and increasing the size of the front and rear screens, Lyons created a light, airy interior that was well ahead of its time. The car also gained an increased rear track, standard disc brakes and improved front suspension, transforming it into the best handling saloon of its day and one which, furthermore, embarrassed the opposition on price as well as performance despite having all the luxurious appointments buyers had come to expect from Jaguar.

The masterstroke however was in supplementing the 2.4 and 3.4-litre straight-sixes with an enlarged 3.8-litre version, as seen in the D-Type. With 220bhp, this provided the Mark II with performance to embarrass out-and-out sports cars and, with a standard limited-slip differential, it would out-handle many of them as well. With such unmatched ability, the Mark II often became the wheels of choice for Britain’s underworld, leaving the police with no choice but to follow suit, ordering a number of stripped out 3.8-litre pursuit specials.

JAGUAR MARK II

1959-67 >

THE FIRST EVER SPORTS SALOON

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

The Mark II became a firm favourite with racing drivers of the day such as Stirling Moss and Graham Hill.

> 35

XK STRAIGHT-SIXThis is the engine that essentially made

Jaguar’s name, powering its cars both on and off the racetrack for more than four

decades after its introduction in 1949.The engine was developed during

WW2 by William Heynes, Walter Hassan and Claude Baily while on night-time

firewatch at the Jaguar plant. The engine went through a number of experimental

phases, signified by the prefix X and another letter to designate the series.

The production XK was a twin-overhead cam straight-six, initially

of 3.4-litres and proved its worth immediately by setting a production

world speed record. Over the years the engine was offered in a range of

displacements and even powered the Scorpion tank which became the fastest

tracked vehicle in the world.

V12Unlike the XK, which was intended

for road use but achieved great success in racing, the V12 was initially developed

for Le Mans and the ill-fated XJ13. However, in the early ’70s, with

emissions regulations steadily sapping power from the straight-six, the V12 was

enlarged to 5.3-litres and entered service in the Series III E-Type and then the XJ12, creating the fastest four-door saloon in

the world. The engine did, of course, get its chance to run in anger, at first in the SCCA competition winning E-Types and

XJ-S models before securing wins for Jaguar at Le Mans in 1988 and 1990.

AJ-V8Only the fourth engine in Jaguar’s history, the V8 was developed to replace both the venerable V12 and the AJ6 straight-six introduced in the 1980s.

First seen in 4.0-litre capacity in the all-new XK8 in 1996, the engine boasted a host of class-leading statistics: best power per litre, best torque per litre, best power per engine weight, lightest weight, stiffest structure and fastest warm-up.

Evolving over the years, first with the addition of a supercharger in the mighty XKR, the engine is now offered in a range of capacities up to 5.0-litres and powers Jaguar’s entry in the GT2 sports racing series.

AJ-V6 DIESELFor its first diesel models, Jaguar clearly needed a special powerplant that would maintain its reputation for effortless performance and unparalleled refinement.

The result of intensive development in tandem with PSA was a 2.7-litre twin-turbocharged V6 which produced a more than adequate 200bhp and up to 325lb ft of torque. Making its debut in 2004, it immediately garnered extensive praise.

Now in its third generation and enlarged to 3.0 litres with parallel serial turbocharging, the engine produces 270bhp and 440lb ft of torque which is used to devastating effect in the award winning XF S and all-new XJ models.

UNDER THE BONNET…

01

03

0402

< 75 YEARS OF JAGUAR

HEARTOF AJAGUAR

> 37

JAGUAR E-TYPE

1961 - 1975 >

A TRUE AUTOMOTIVE ICON…

If any car perfectly sums up the feline grace, power and beauty that the Jaguar name conjures to mind, it is the E-Type. No lesser judge of automotive design than Enzo Ferrari proclaimed it to be “the most beautiful car ever built” on first sight of it, while America’s Road & Track magazine reported it as, in the unreconstructed language of the era, “the greatest crumpet collector known to man.” The E-Type rendered the usual supercar superlatives obsolete.

In need of a replacement for the now ageing XK150, Jaguar started work in 1957 on a prototype called E1A, which incorporated a central alloy monocoque and front spaceframe as seen on the D-Type, but with an all-new independent rear suspension design to be evaluated for the new secret sports car and a 2.4-litre straight-six.

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

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75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

No 2 AERODYNAMICS

Its successor, E2A, was even closer to what would become the E-Type, with exotic underpinnings and a race-spec 3.0-litre engine but steel bodywork. The car was taken to the 1960 Le Mans by Briggs Cunningham. The inherent rightness of the design was demonstrated when the car set the fastest practice lap and was running strongly in third until a broken fuel line ended its chances.

It hardly mattered because the following year, at the Geneva Motor Show, Jaguar unveiled the real thing and caused such a sensation that every rival was left in its shade. Just as with the XK120 a dozen years earlier, Jaguar changed the performance car landscape forever.

Under that impossibly long, elegant bonnet was a 3.8-litre version of the XK straight-six engine in top-spec XK150S trim, producing 265bhp and 260lb ft of torque. Unsurprisingly, performance was there to match the looks: 150mph was within reach and 0-60mph took just seven seconds. There were, of course, disc brakes all round – inboard at the rear – and a four-speed gearbox. Available as a sleek coupé

or impossibly glamorous convertible, the E-Type was an instant success.

Jaguar listened intently to all its customer feedback and the E-Type continuously evolved. A longer wheelbase 2+2 version was sold for the man whose crumpet catching had resulted in the patter of tiny feet. The first major mechanical change occurred in 1966 when a larger, torquier 4.2-litre straight-six was fitted along with a new gearbox with full synchromesh on all four speeds. To satisfy the stringent safety demands of the vital American market, the car lost its headlight covers and traditional toggle-switch dashboard and gained larger bumpers, indicators and tail-lights to create the Series 2 in 1968.

The biggest change came about in 1971, when Jaguar, keen to showcase its new V12 – ultimately destined for the XJ saloon – fitted it to the E-Type to create the Series 3. All cars now rode on the longer 2+2 chassis. The E-Type had aged gracefully, transforming itself from a tempting tearaway into a mature, refined Grand Tourer but still exhibiting the pace to embarrass its rivals.

The E-Type proved that the principle of form following function could still result in a thing of beauty, designed as it was by Malcolm Sayer. The aerodynamicist used a complex set of equations he had developed himself in order to predict the behaviour of air flowing over complex curves. Not only was the E-Type designed to be slippery but also stable in crosswinds. The work was tested using tenth-scale models in the rudimentary wind tunnels of the day.

75 YEARS OF INNOVATIONS

Achingly beautiful and stunningly quick, the E-Type was also a bargain, putting supercar performance within reach of ordinary motorists.

> 41

Often dubbed the ‘greatest Jaguar that never was’, the XJ13 is a fascinating example of unfulfilled promise but one that ultimately found fruition in the XJ saloon and Series 3 E-Type.

In the reverse of the way in which the XK straight-six had been designed for road use but proved itself more than able in competition, a secret development programme was initiated in the early 1960s which would develop a V12 for racing

that could then be detuned for road use. Based loosely on two XK blocks united by a common crankcase, the Claude Baily-designed engine had a capacity of 5.0 litres and in race tune produced nearly 500 horsepower; although 7.0 litres and 700bhp was theoretically possible.

Jaguar had the engine it needed to return to Le Mans if it wanted and now needed a chassis to cope with the prodigious power. Racing technology had

JAGUAR XJ13

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN...

1966 >

The XJ13 was based around an all-new V12 engine that would find its way into a range of road and racing cars and ultimately achieve the success the original was denied.

moved on apace since the D-Type’s last Le Mans win but the Jaguar engineering department was equal to the task and created an aluminium monocoque. The engine was mid-mounted and performed double duty as a stressed chassis member to which the transaxle and rear suspension were bolted. The car was dubbed the XJ13, for Experimental Jaguar, rather than anything to do with the forthcoming XJ saloon series for which the V12 was ultimately intended.

It is impossible to say which of Malcolm Sayer’s now iconic designs is the most beautiful but the XJ13 is surely a strong contender. Compact, lithe and lissom it even showcased its spectacular engine beneath the rear window. The car set a British track record of 161.6mph at the MIRA test track but other than that never turned a wheel in anger because its readiness to race unfortunately coincided with the emergence of the mighty 7.0-litre Ford Mark IVs.

The XJ13 was shelved for five years until 1971, when Jaguar decided to use it as a promotional tool for the new V12 Series 3 E-Type. While filming an advertisement at MIRA, one of the magnesium alloy wheels, made fragile by the car’s time spent in storage, disintegrated. The car was badly damaged but driver Norman Dewis was thankfully unharmed. The car was rebuilt some years later and is now the rarest, most priceless Jaguar of all time.

< 75 YEARS OF JAGUAR

> 43

MEN BEHIND THE MARQUE MEN BEHIND THE MARQUE

MALCOLM SAYER

WILLIAMHEYNES

alcolm Sayer could rightly be said to have elevated the discipline of aerodynamics into an art form through his beautiful yet

functional designs for Jaguar.Born in Cromer, Norfolk in 1916, Sayer gained a

scholarship to Great Yarmouth Grammar School at the age of 11. Here he excelled at maths and the sciences, winning the Empire Scholarship to study Automotive Engineering at Loughborough College.

After graduating, Sayer joined the Bristol Aeroplane Company where he received his grounding in aerodynamic principles. His expertise was honed during WW2 when Sayer helped to make significant improvements to aircraft such as the Beaufighter and Blenheim bombers.

In 1950, Sayer was recruited by William Lyons and helped to shape Jaguar’s first ever Le Mans winner, the C-Type.

Sayer went on to design the car’s successor, the D-Type, the never-raced XJ13 and, of course, the seminal E-Type. Sayer employed a unique method of working which involved the use of slide rules and logarithmic tables to plot the co-ordinates of complex curves. His work was then borne out by wind tunnel testing using scale models which were accurate to within three or four percent.

Sayer’s last car was the XJ-S, even more aerodynamic than the E-Type which preceded it. Sadly, Sayer never lived to see it in production, dying in 1970 at the age of just 54.

f Sayer was responsible for shaping some of the most significant Jaguars, then it was William ‘Bill’ Heynes, as Chief

Engineer, who gave them the power to make the most of their slippery bodyshells.

Born on December 31, 1904 in Leamington Spa, Heynes was educated at Warwick School before joining the Humber Car Company in Coventry. Initially working in the drawing department, Heynes’ engineering talents stood out and he rose swiftly to become technical head by 1930.

Recruited by William Lyons in 1935, Heynes immediately went to work on a new box-section chassis to exploit the Harry Weslake-fettled Standard engine. Realising Jaguar needed an engine of its own, Heynes was instrumental in creating the XK straight-six during the long wartime firewatches at the Jaguar plant.

Post-war, it was Heynes who persuaded Sir William Lyons that the new engine would achieve competition success and boost sales. Heynes and his team designed the C-Type’s lightweight tubular chassis and the car proved to be a winner first time out. He followed this with the monocoque D-Type, again a Le Mans winner, and adapted the design for the E-Type, giving it the racing pedigree its looks deserved. Heynes was awarded the CBE in 1969, shortly before his retirement from Jaguar to devote his energies to his beloved farm for the next 20 years until his death.

M I

< 75 YEARS OF JAGUAR

> 45

THE ORIGINAL XJs

There is no better indication of the talents and breadth of ability of the XJ6 than the fact that when it was launched in 1968 it effectively replaced Jaguar’s existing saloon range of Mark II, S-Type, 420 and 420G, although the latter continued on as a niche model for a short time longer.

The XJ6 was the last car designed by Sir William Lyons and was a clear statement that he had lost none of his deftness of touch. Clearly proud of his design, Sir William himself appeared in advertisements for it, proclaiming it “the finest Jaguar ever”. The inherent rightness of the car’s design was proven by the fact that it went on to become Lyon’s longest-lived creation, notching up more than 400,000 sales in 24 years.

New unitary body construction was introduced which brought in important economies of scale, allowing Jaguar to maintain its reputation for offering astonishing value for money. To combat this construction technique’s tendency to increase the noise transmitted through the car, Jaguar paid particular attention to the manners of the car, mounting the engine and all-round independent suspension on rubber bushes, thereby setting standards of refinement that would lead the luxury car market for years to come.

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

A LEGENDARY LINEAGE IS BORN

1968 - 1992 >

> 47

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR //

The XJ6 was initially powered by 2.8 and 4.2-litre versions of the XK straight-six, of which more than 250,000 had by this time been made. The cars were offered with power steering, automatic transmission, air-conditioning and electric windows. The price was, of course, remarkably low and waiting lists pleasingly lengthy.

In 1972, as well as a more luxurious long wheelbase version, Jaguar introduced the engine which had always been intended for the car, the 5.3-litre V12 first seen in the XJ13 and Series 3 E-Type. With this, it created the fastest four-seater production car in the world, capable of 140mph.

William Lyon’s original design received a facelift in 1973, introducing at the same time the two-door XJ-C. Based on the short-wheelbase chassis, problems led to a two-year delay before the

production lines started rolling but the elegant design was worth waiting for. Pillarless construction ensured it felt light and airy, instantly becoming the best looking of all XJs.

The original XJ received another facelift in 1979 courtesy of Pininfarina. Such was the affection for the car that even on its replacement by the XJ40 in 1986, a V12 version remained on sale until 1992.

The XJ40 was a great step forward for the XJ, ushering in much more modern styling and production techniques. It also introduced the famous Jaguar ‘J-Gate’ gear selector and an onboard computer to monitor vehicle status. The XJ40 became the most rigorously tested car in Jaguar’s history, covering millions of miles under the most extreme conditions. In 1988 the XJ40 introduced the famous ‘R’ performance badge to Jaguar aficionados,

siring a family of cars that continues to this day. This was continued by the XJ40’s replacement,

1995’s X300 model, which reintroduced a softer, more traditional look under stylist Geoff Lawson. The range-topping XJR used a supercharger to provide suitably massive performance as a sporting alternative to the luxurious V12. Two years later the classic Jaguar straight-six made way for another legendary powerplant, an all-new aluminium V8 in 3.2 and 4.0-litre capacities.

Then, in 2003, came an XJ that was in its way as innovative and ground-breaking as the 1968 original. This new car, while retaining all the classic Jaguar interior and exterior design hallmarks was constructed from aluminium, bringing huge weight-saving advantages over its rivals and lending it unmatched agility, performance and frugality.

A stylish, comfortable and refined saloon, the XJ nevertheless had the same sporting heart as every Jaguar.

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> 50

JAGUAR XJ-S

1975 - 1996 >

The task of replacing the iconic E-Type was never going to be an easy one. Not only was it still lusted after but the world had moved on from the free and easy ’60s. New safety and emissions regulations meant that raw sports cars were fast falling out of favour. The successor for the E-Type would capture the grand touring character of the V12-engined Series 3, rather than the rorty appeal of the 1961 original.

It is testament to Malcolm Sayer’s design for the XJ-S that, however controversial it may have been when introduced, it actually stayed in production for half as long again as its predecessor. It was also more aerodynamic thanks to those flying buttress C-pillars and

concave rear window. Safety regulations dictated that it had crumple zones front and rear and lacked the XJ’s twin fuel tanks, despite being based on the same platform.

The fine chassis underpinning the XJ-S and its smooth spinning V12 gave the car an unmatched air of luxury and refinement but its sporting potential was clearly apparent; it came with a limited-slip differential as standard and was offered with a four-speed manual transmission. In 1979 an XJ-S completed the 3000-mile Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash in an astonishing 32 hours 51 minutes, a record that stood for four years.

Safety consideration also ruled out a full

convertible version at first so it was eight years until a targa-style soft-top was introduced. This model also saw the debut of only the third all-new Jaguar engine, a brand-new straight six of 3.6-litres while the V12 continued with a new, High Efficiency cylinder head. A very elegant full convertible followed five years later in 1988.

The XJ-S continued to grow old gracefully – albeit with a hint of rebellion provided by the Tom Walkinshaw-engineered 6.0-litre XJR-S – receiving a major facelift in 1991 and an enlarged 4.0-litre version of the new straight-six and the larger capacity V12 as seen in the XJR-S. When it finally bowed out in 1996, more than 115,000 had been sold.

THE GRANDEST OF TOURERS

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

Capable of crossing continents with consummate ease, the XJ-S also proved to have inherited Jaguar’s racing DNA.

MOTORSPORT

RACING HERITAGE

espite Jaguar’s official policy of non-involvement in motorsport following the D-Type’s run of success, the factory continued to

provide cars for customers to race.The first of these was a series of aluminium

bodied E-Types known as the ‘Lightweights’. As well as a reduction in mass, the slippery creations benefited from five-speed gearboxes and significantly more power than the standard cars. However, despite its D-Type-derived construction, the E-Type never achieved the same success as its forebear until it entered its third iteration.

DBob Tullius, a devotee of British engineering

and the man behind the US-based Group 44 racing team persuaded Jaguar to develop a competition version of the new V12 engine for him. Installed in a Series 3 E-Type, it created a formidable competition machine. With it Tullius took the Sports Car Championship of America in 1975 while on the West Coast of America, Huffaker Engineering also achieved regional success.

Encouraged by this, Tullius decided to campaign the E-Type’s successor, the XJ-S, in the Trans-Am series against serious opposition from Chevrolet and Porsche. The car romped home to the 1977 title

From IMSA racing in the States (left) to iconic Le Mans winners such as the XJR9-LM (above), Jaguars have been proven on race tracks for years.

and the following year, despite rule changes favouring the Corvettes, an engine power boost to 560bhp and a lightweight bodyshell meant the XJ-S won seven races to the Chevrolet’s three, gaining both driver and manufacturer titles. In Europe a similar car was prepared by TWR Racing and won the 1984 European Touring Car Championship for Tom Walkinshaw.

Encouraged by this privateer success, Jaguar decided to back both Tullius and Walkinshaw in the IMSA Camel GT series and FIA Group C championship, respectively. Tullius’s first car, the XJR-5 was based around the V12 and despite six wins, narrowly failed to secure the 1983 IMSA series.

TWR’s first dedicated attempt at Group C, the XJR-6 was styled in a wind tunnel at Imperial College and as a result of its dry-sump V12 was significantly more aerodynamic than its rivals. Despite this advantage, it only achieved one victory in the 1986 Sports Car World Championship. Developed into the XJR-8 for the 1987 season, TWR and Jaguar proved an unbeatable combination, winning eight out of 10 races and both driver and team championships.

A further evolution created the XJR-9 which was

used on both sides of the Atlantic in 1988 but met with more success in Europe. By now 7.0-litres and producing 750bhp, the XJR-9s were unstoppable, winning six of the 11 races to take driver and team trophies. More importantly it returned Jaguar to the top step of the podium at Le Mans for the first time since 1957.

TWR decided to adopt a turbocharged V6 for the 1989 season – the engine that would eventually find its way into the XJ220 supercar – but it wasn’t until the rugged V12 was reinstated in 1990 to create the XJR-12 that Jaguar once again secured a Le Mans victory, this time achieving a 1-2 finish. In celebration, JaguarSport commissioned TWR to create a limited edition roadgoing version, the XJR-15. Only 50 were made, all priced at roughly $1 million.

That wasn’t quite the end of the Jaguar story at Le Mans however. A competition version of the XJ220 supercar was raced in the Grand Touring category in 1993. The car comfortably took the class win before being disqualified some weeks later although the Le Mans authorities never asked for their trophy back...

Speed trials are as much a part of Jaguar’s heritage as racing victories; the XK120 became the fastest production car in the world in 1949, a feat repeated by the XJ220 in 1992.

No surprise then that in 2008, a largely standard supercharged XFR became the fastest Jaguar ever by hitting a top speed of 226mph at the famous Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

THE FASTEST JAGUAR EVER!

226MPH

Above: Duncan Hamiltonand Martin BrundleRight: Jackie StewartBelow: Tony RoltBelow right: Ken Wharton

Above: Group 44 celebrates another victoryLeft:Stirling MossRight: Bob TulliusBelow left: Derek Bell

SENSATIONAL SPEED

JAGUAR XJ220

1989 - 1992 >

Just as the name of the XK120 boasted of its performance potential, so the XJ220 supercar’s hinted at the proposed top speed well in excess of the double ton. In the event, it fell shy of this by just 3mph but still held the production car top speed record for a time in the early 1990s.

Like many Jaguars, the XJ220 was driven forward

by the determination and vision of one man, in this case chief engineer Jim Randle. The work was carried out by an informal group of Jaguar employees known as the ‘Saturday Club’ who, as the name suggests, dedicated their spare time to special projects.

Inspired by the Le Mans success of the XJR-9, Randle wanted to reproduce its scintillating

Every inch the supercar, the XJ220 packed the power of one of the company’s racing cars into a sensationally sleek body.

performance in a road car. TWR, which prepared the racing cars, was commissioned to engineer a 6.2-litre version of the Jaguar V12 which would produce 500bhp, delivered to the road via an FF Developments four-wheel drive system. The stunningly sleek concept car, presented at the 1988 British Motor Show, also boasted show-stopping

scissor doors and all-aluminium construction, making it lighter than an XJ-S despite its size and weighty transmission.

When an initial run of 220 cars was announced in 1989, the order books filled fast, regardless of a list price of £330,000. By the time the car appeared two years later, it had undergone significant revision.

Now it represented more of a successor to the XJ13, with a competition-derived twin-turbo V6, conventional doors and rear-wheel drive to reduce weight and improve responsiveness.

Despite launching just as the world slid into recession, nearly 300 XJ220s were sold, creating an instant icon.

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

> 57

Just as the XK120 sports car introduced the world to the outstanding new Jaguar straight-six so a new car was needed for the marque’s first ever V8 engine in 1996.

By this time Jaguar was under the aegis of the Ford Motor Company and competing designs for the new sports car were submitted by Ghia in Turin and Ford’s design centre in Dearborn but fittingly it was the work of Jaguar’s own team, led by Geoff Lawson which got the final nod. The design took inspiration from iconic Jaguars of the past but blended them into a sleek shape meeting modern requirements of space, safety and luxury.

With a new independent rear suspension design and the powerful new 4.0-litre V8, the XK8 combined the comfort and smoothness of a grand tourer with the agility of a true Jaguar sports car. Both convertible and coupé models offered leather interiors with finely crafted walnut trim and the full complement of airbags.

The car immediately exceeded all expectations, becoming the fastest-selling sports car in Jaguar’s history. Just two years later a supercharged XKR model was announced, taking the power of the V8 to 370bhp, meaning the car could out-accelerate a D-Type Le Mans racer and, were it not electronically limited, match it for top speed.

A facelift and a larger 4.2-litre engine in 2002 allowed the XK8 to mature and develop gracefully. It also introduced a host of cutting-edge technologies, including Jaguar’s Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS), xenon headlights, Emergency Brake Assist and radar-guided Adaptive Cruise Control, maintaining its position as a class leader.

JAGUAR XK8

1996 - 2008 >

THE FASTEST-SELLING SPORTSCAR

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

> 59

The first Jaguar to be designed in the new millennium, the XK introduced a revitalised styling direction for the company under the guidance of Design Director Ian Callum.

Although there are references to great Jaguars of the past, notably echoes of the E-Type in the grille and rear lights, the XK is clearly a product of the 21st Century. Not only does it look the part but the innovation continues under the skin in the aluminium monocoque chassis design

pioneered by the XJ, with all the benefits for performance, agility and economy that this entails.

Launched with the 4.2-litre V8 from its predecessor, the XK soon benefited from an increase in capacity to 5.0 litres, with a supercharged XKR boasting a staggering 503bhp and a 0-60mph time of just 4.6 seconds. A six-speed automatic gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddles puts the control firmly under

the driver’s enthusiastic fingertips without losing any of Jaguar’s legendary refinement.

The ultimate iteration of the XK was revealed to coincide with the marque’s 75th anniversary. Based on the supercharged XKR, the limited edition model features uprated suspension, recalibrated Active Centre Differential and a power increase to 530 horsepower. Top speed is raised – but still limited – to 174mph and the 0-60mph dash cut to 4.4 seconds.

ELEGANCE REDEFINED THE SUPER SALOON

JAGUAR XK JAGUAR XF

2008 > 2008 >

Jaguar has a long tradition of fusing the refinement of a saloon with the excitement of a sports car and nowhere is this better expressed than the current XF.

Obviously a Jaguar, with its crouched stance that suggests explosive power even when at rest, the XF is packed with technological and aesthetic delights. Upon firing up the engine an intuitive circular gear selector rises from the centre console to provide access to the shift-by-

wire sequential transmission while the air vents automatically rotate to an open position.

Jaguar helped pioneer the use of aerody-namics in car design and the XF continues this tradition with the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics to make it the sleekest car the firm has ever produced. Class-leading torsional stiffness lends it the agility worthy of a successor to the Mark II, the car that created the sporting saloon sector.

Powered by a range of smooth, sophisticated diesel and petrol engines, topped by the mighty supercharged XFR, all the cars offer a classic mix of performance, comfort and driver appeal.

The XF abounds with technology to ease the workload on the driver. Bluetooth connectivity, voice control, Adaptive Cruise Control, Dynamic Stability Control and premium Bowers & Wilkins sound systems all contribute to the award-winning XF experience.

No 3

POP-UP BONNETS

Given the pressures brought to bear on car design by safety legislation, the sleek look of the XK would not have been possible without a truly innovative technological development from Jaguar. The Pedestrian Deployable Bonnet System provides a safety cushion by using pyrotechnics to instantaneously raise the bonnet in the event of a pedestrian being struck.

75 YEARS OF INNOVATIONS

75 YEARS OF JAGUAR >

> 61

< 75 YEARS OF JAGUAR

THE LEGEND CONTINUES...

In the words of Managing Director Mike O’Driscoll, these are truly exciting times for Jaguar and that spirit is best embodied by the all-new XJ, launched at the end of 2009.

A clean break with the XJ series of old, the new model is still unmistakeably a class-leading Jaguar saloon and one which unarguably shades its rivals with its bold, beautiful design language.

Once again constructed from aluminium, the XJ is lighter than much of the competition by up to 150kg with all the benefits that entails for performance and economy. Powered by Jaguar’s acclaimed 3.0-litre V6 diesel and 5.0-litre petrol engines, performance is as effortless as owners have come to expect while the interior, which utilises traditional Jaguar craftsmanship in a truly contemporary manner, provides all the luxury and comfort needed.

Air suspension, Adaptive Dynamics and Active Differential Control endow the XJ with a level of dynamism and agility that at times is scarcely credible in a car that also provides such a feeling of security and relaxed refinement.

The innovation continues with an LCD dashboard that can be configured to display a range of information to the driver while the screen mounted in the centre console uses groundbreaking technology allowing the front-seat passenger to watch a DVD while the driver receives satellite-navigation directions for example. Already a huge sales success, the flagship XJ is set to lead Jaguar into its next 75 years.

2010 >

NEW JAGUAR XJ

> 63

MEN BEHIND THE MARQUE

IAN CALLUM

ery few people are fortunate enough to be pursuing the career they dreamt about in their formative years. Ian Callum

displayed a talent for draughtsmanship at an early age, drawing from the age of four but it was at the age of 14 that his desire to design cars, and Jaguars in particular, was crystallised.

The catalyst was the original 1968 XJ6, designed by Sir William Lyons. The teenaged Callum wrote to Bill Heynes enclosing some of his own designs for a Jaguar. Heynes kindly replied, suggesting to Callum that to pursue his chosen career, he should learn engineering draughtsmanship and study industrial design.

Callum did just that at the Glasgow School of Art followed by a Masters in Design at the Royal College of Art in London. Upon graduating, Callum was employed by Ford, TWR Design and Aston Martin before being appointed Design Director of Jaguar in 1999 after the untimely death of his predecessor Geoff Lawson. A mere 30 years after his original request for advice from William Heynes, Callum was in his dream job:

“From the start I felt very keenly the responsibility we all have working for such an iconic British brand. The legacy left to us by the great Jaguar designers of the past – men like William

Lyons and Malcolm Sayer – is enormous and is something we recognise every time we begin the process of creating a new car.

“We know how intently our predecessors pushed the boundaries of design and techology. Jaguar has always been a forward-thinking company and that philosophy informs the work we do to this day.”

As Callum freely admits, designing a modern Jaguar is a challenging undertaking; capturing the drama and passion of the cars of old while adhering to customer expectations for the latest in technology, comfort and safety.

In his decade at the helm of the Jaguar design studio, Callum has overseen the transformation of the range with award-winning designs for the current XK, XF and XJ models.

Now Jaguar’s design director says his task is to look firmly to the future, putting in place a team of talented individuals to lead Jaguar design for the next 75 years. As he says himself, the car he is most proud of is the next one.

V

“FUNDAMENTALLY MY JOB IS

TO CREATE SOMETHING

BEAUTIFUL AND EXCITING”

< 75 YEARS OF JAGUAR

> 64

here is no doubt Jaguar will continue to build beautiful, fast cars for another 75 years but, like the rest of

the motor industry, it has a responsibility to ensure its products are as environmentally friendly as possible.

THE FUTURE

EXCITINGTIMESAHEAD

T

Jaguar has already made great strides in this area, beginning with the X350 series XJ which pioneered the marque’s use of lightweight aluminium construction for the chassis and body panels. The significant weight saving that this effected allowed the use of smaller, more efficient engines greatly reducing fuel consumption and resurrecting the famous XJ6 badge. The construction technology is now also to be found in the XK sports car.

The next stage in Jaguar’s quest to reduce emissions and fuel consumption is the development of a series hybrid. Funded by the Technology Strategy Board, Jaguar has worked with British firms Lotus Engineering, MIRA and Caparo to research future generations of luxury cars.

The result is Limo Green which takes the lightweight XJ as its starting point and reduces mass still further with the use of advanced composite materials.

Motive power is provided by a high-performance electric motor and lithium-ion phosphate batteries, their range extended by the smallest engine ever seen in a Jaguar, an all-aluminium 1.2-litre powerplant.

Aerodynamics have always been a marque strongpoint and engineers are working to reduce the drag coefficient of future models to a remarkable 0.25Cd.

All this results in a glimpse into a future of refined, comfortable Jaguars with all the performance expected of the marque but with remarkable fuel consumption and a target CO2 figure of less than 120g/km.

> 66

< 75 YEARS OF JAGUAR

In Limo Green, Jaguar’s innovation continues with the XJ’s cutting-edge construction allied to an experimental powertrain.

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