To fill the void caused by his former partner’s departure, Lyons hired two exceptional engineers. One was Harry Weslake, an engineering consultant who specialized in cylinder head design. The other was William Heynes, who was named chief engineer and would play an important part in Jaguar’s growth for the next 35 years.

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The new team produced a new chassis and engine unit with a fresh body style that was decidedly less flashy than the previous ‘S’ models, yet still stylish. The new model was a two-seat sports car, dubbed the SS 100. All who saw and drove it claimed it had ‘a feline grace and elegance, combining docility with remarkable power and agility.’ It was immediately compared to the Bentleys of the time, which cost nearly four times as much. However, great as the 100 was, it still needed a name to differentiate it from the earlier ‘SS’ models. The first use of the ‘Jaguar’ name occurred in 1935 for the 1936 model year. The products of the Coventry plant would be known as ‘S.S. Jaguars’ until after the Second World War, when the name was shortened to Jaguar.

Jaguar continued to build pre-war models until 1948 when the famous XK 120 sports two-seater was introduced. Revolutionary in design, the XK 120 was also the first Jag to sport the XK twin-cam engine, a standard feature until 1987.

Jaguar grew in strength and popularity with a succession of new sedans starting with the legendary Mark VII in 1951, and a series of XK sports cars. So visible was the company’s presence and success, that William Lyons was knighted in 1956 for his services to the British automotive industry.

However, the best was yet to come. In 1961, making a quantum leap in prestige, the company introduced the model that everyone instantly associates with Jaguar, the incredible E-type, or XK-E as it was known in America. Words can’t describe the enthusiasm and emotion that greeted this sensual sliver of automotive excellence when it was unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show. Originally available as a sports coupe and convertible, some years later, to meet the demand, it was also produced as a 2+2. In fact, it’s claimed that the E-type inspired Ferrari to build its famed GTO.

During this time Jaguar was also known for some incredibly elegant salons, namely the Mark series, and the sporty S types, all powered by the proven XK engines. Then, in 1968, the first of the long line of XJ6 saloons appeared, a car that would continue to be the company’s hallmark for the next three decades, either in a six- or 12-cylinder version. Production of a new coupe, the XJS, began in 1973, and in time, a convertible version of the XJS as well.

Unfortunately, even though the Jaguar was one of the first British car companies to export its automobiles to America, it experienced many of the same problems that the other English companies faced–stiff competition in the face of the ever-growing demand for Japanese and German cars. The Jaguar’s low gas mileage also hurt its sales during the several fuel crises of the 1970s and ’80s.

Believing in better strength in numbers, Jaguar Cars was merged into the British Motor Corporation in 1966. The resulting firm, British Motor Holdings, then merged with the Leyland Motor Corporation in 1968, forming British Leyland Motors, which marketed Jaguars along with other British cars such as MGs, Triumphs, and Austins. Over the next decade or so, this organization continued to exist under various names, including the Rover Group. Finally, anxious to regain its identity and former status, Jaguar became a separate, independent company once again in 1984. However, the damage had already been done, and financially vulnerable, the venerable car maker was acquired by the Ford Motor Company in December 1989.

Ford’s take-over actually occurred two years after the phasing out of the successful XJ6 saloon, which, in various forms, had been Jaguar’s staple for 19 years. The new car, known as the XJ40, featured an all-aluminium, twin-cam, 24-valve engine, a vast improvement over the time-proven XK. In 1995, the XJ40 sedans were superseded by still another model, the X300, comprised of both the XJ6 and the limited-edition XJR, the first Jaguar ever to be powered by a supercharged engine.

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