Classic Jaguar Cars

Over the years Jaguar have designed and manufactured various vehicles, many of which are termed nowadays as classic cars. The company has been manufacturing cars since 1922, first as the Swallow Sidecar Company then as SS Cars before changing its name to Jaguar in 1945. The company is currently owned by Tata.

Jaguar initially produced a range of sidecars in the 1920s. Their first notable range of cars was built in tandem with the Austin car company and included the Austin Seven Swallow and the Austin Seven Swallow Saloon. At this point the company concentrated on building cars on to other manufacturer's chassis.

The first independently built cars here were the SS models which were originally produced in 1931. These cars were ultimately renamed as SS Jaguars. After the war Jaguar produced two of their first real modern classics - the Mark V and the first XK with the XK120.

In the 1950s the company produced the Mark VII, the Mark VIII, the Mark II and the famous C type XK120 which was followed by the XK140, the XK150, the Jaguar 2.4 and the XK-SS. All of these cars can now be considered modern day classics.

The 1960s saw the launch of the classic E-Type range and the Mark IX and Mark X. This decade also saw the first appearance of the S-Type and the 420 saloon and the conversion of the Mark II models into 240s and 340s. The XJ13 also came into development here - this model is one of the rarest Jaguars. The XJ6 model that followed is still a classic but is more widely available.

In the 1970s the company launched the XJ12 which was held to be the fastest four seater production line car of the period. This decade also saw the launch of the classic XJ-S and, in the 1980s, the XJ-S HE and the XJR-5.

One of the most coveted Jaguar cars came to life in the 1990s when the company produced a limited edition run of the XJ220. Only 350 models of this super car were built.