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Jaguar
Land Rover

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1970 Range Rover

Jaguar 1
Jaguar 2
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Engines
2015 XE
2014 F-type Coupe
2013 XFR
2013 F-type
2009 XK-R
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1999 S-type
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1979 XJ Series 3
1975 XJ 4,2 Coupe
1975 XJ-S
1973 XJ Series 2
1968 E-type Roadster
1968 XJ Series 1
1966 XJ 13
1964 E type Cabrio
1964 Mark X
1963 Jaguar S
1961 E type Cabrio
1961 Jaguar E
1961 Rear Axle
1959 Jaguar Mk II
1957 XK 150
1954 d-type
1954 XK 140
1951 c-type
1948 XK 120
1948 Mark V
1945 SS Mk4
1946 SS Jaguar Saloon
1938 SS Jaguar 100
1936 SS Jaguar 100



  The history of Jaguar 1





The history of the company is directly, and was for decades, linked to that of William Lyons, the son of an Irish musician. He was born and grew up in Blackpool, an Irish sea bathing resort on the west coast of England, north of Liverpool, where his parents run a successful music business.

Rather uninspired, the young Lyons started a sort of education at Crossley in Manchester, where he also for a time, went to college. After a relatively short period, he returned to the family business. There, in the beginning, he worked in a small Sunbeam agency as a salesman. After a while, he could afford to buy a small car, was however, more taken with the motorcycles of the time. From 1921 he has contact with the just moved son of a coal merchant, with whom he shares the hobby. William Walmsley has not only the more beautiful machine, he was the more technically talented and was almost idolised by Lyons. What is important for the progress of history, that Lyons, although at the time not very successful in his profession, also has certain talents which seem to fit in with those of Walmsley.

Both come together through the manufacture of motorcycle side-cars, which Walmsley was already selling. Thereby, the aluminium sheets fastened to Ash-wood frames, will accompany us for quite some time. The side-cars has an elegant appearance, more fitting to a high performance motorcycle than the rough-cut constructions of the competition. As one can imagine, with the financial support of their parents, the two middle-class youths join up with each other and the sales were boosted, in particular by Lyons. By the way, they were called Swallow Sidecars even before the company was founded in 1922.

The company would keep that name up to the end of World War II. After that it is finally called Jaguar, until then a name for one of their manufactured vehicle types. The abbreviation 'SS' had become unacceptable through the association with the horrors of the Nazi regime. Before the actual Jaguar family was established, the company would undergo at least two decisive changes. Lyons would be able to demonstrate his skills as a salesman more and more. What is meant here, is not necessarily the ability to sell cars to men (later also to women), but rather the ability to predict the public taste and to guide and motivate his own staff.

Thus, the fortunes of the Swallow Sidecars company took an excedingly pleasing course. Walmsley apparently looked after the production side, and Lyons took care of the sales. Pretty soon Walmsley's production couldn't keep up the pace, the products were being shown more and more at the trade-fairs and in the meantime, were also accepted by the important motorcycle brand-names. The first production plant was abandoned and they moved into larger premises which were bought by Walmsley's father. In the meantime, Lyons also got married.

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