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Why are Jaguar owners so passionate about their cars?

Jaguar owners are proud of their cars, but do most owners know where the heritage began and how the company’s success was shaped on the track?
Jaguar Project 7 Goodwood

The British car manufacturer is headquartered in Whitley, Coventry, England and got their start in 1922 by making motorcycle sidecars (Swallow Sidecar Company). The SS company name was changed to Jaguar after World War II. It wasn’t until 1966 that the company merged with the British Motor Corporation and many other mergers and partnerships followed. Currently the company is listed as a Jaguar Land Rover brand, but is owned by Tata Motors of India.

It all began in 1935 when the “SS Jaguar” name graced the front of a couple of sport model Saloon’s (sedans) named SS 90 and SS 100 (equipped with a 2.5 liter engine). Jaguar then launched a series of sports cars that would get the World’s attention: The Jaguar XK series (XK120, XK140, and XK150) and the Jaguar E-Type (1961-1975). The iconic E-Type also had success on the track as the company developed their engineering and race proven technology. Jaguar was no stranger to the checkered flag winning the Le Mans 24 hours race in 1951, 1953, and 1955 thru 1957.

Most Jaguar owners buy their car to be much more than just a daily driver to get them from point A to point B. They understand the historic legacy that the brand has in its DNA and also know just exciting it is to sit behind the wheel of a Jaguar. More commonly you see this type of passion and enthusiasm in brands like the Ford Mustang or the Chevy Corvette, but this British car company has managed to stir up that same desire and following in their vehicles today. Just look at the company’s slogan of “It’s Good to Be Bad” and the use of Villains in their new line of popular TV ads. Another indication of the popularity of the brand is the fact that Jaguar has some of the most active car forums and Facebook pages on the internet today.

Just as they did while winning those historic races at Le Mans, Jaguar once again has their foot on the floor and has decided not to let off the gas. They are poised to launch even more exciting cars in the near future and I’m willing to bet that the wildly popular new F-Type will help earn Jaguar their keep in the sports car market. I recently had a conversation with another car enthusiast about how we looked forward to seeing the >Jaguar F-Types hit the used car market as a two or three year old used sports car. It kind of reminded me of the stories that you hear the old guys tell about snatching that 3 year old Boss 302 Mustang off the used car lot for a great deal and enjoying the muscle car even more because they got a great deal on it.

Hopefully you can now get a taste of the history behind the brand known as Jaguar, and if you listen carefully you can hear the roar of the Le Mans race cars every time you hear the F-Type blistering the pavement. Don’t miss this video of the guys at Road & Track as they put the new 2014 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe on track in a serious hot lap at the Motown Mile.

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Comments

Jim Searles (not verified)    March 6, 2015 - 8:49AM

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Comment from LinkedIn Reader: "I sat in a Jaguar for the first time when I was twelve. I knew then that I wanted one. I bought my first Jaguar at sixteen. It was a Mark IX like I had been in four years earlier. I'll never forget the feeling of sitting in my own Jaguar. I knew I owned an incredible automobile. The smell of the leather and wood combined with the purr of the engine enhanced the incredible sensation of the unique style and elegance of the Mark IX. I knew then that I was destined to appreciate classic design and quality. My love and appreciation of unique automobiles has been one of the defining elements of personal joys in my entire life. I owe those many moments to the people who made Jaguar ownership possible".

Peter Leake (not verified)    March 8, 2015 - 10:00PM

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An interesting question. Like so many Jaguar admirers, my love of the cars goes back to childhood. My father, Tom Leake, was a motoring journalist and a racing driver. With his job, he bought home such an amazing range of cars but the ones that stood out were a Jaguar Mk2, E Type and XJ6 in the '60s. He raced, in the main, Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagatos and the main opposition? Jaguars! Mk2s, E Types and XK120s. Immediately these beautiful cars made a lasting impression - they were more than a car, they were somehow 'living'. I then was privileged to spend the next 38 years working for Jaguar. The people at Jaguar were also different. The atmosphere at Browns Lane, Radford, Castle Bromwich and later Whitley was electric during the '80s and '90s. I had the honour of meeting the founder, Sir William Lyons, before he died in 1985 and it was meeting him that cemented my admiration for Jaguar. His grit and determination was carried through to modern Jaguar by Sir John Egan and his team and reflected in the workforce. Remember, coming out of British Leyland in the early '80s was not easy and needed strong leadership but I don't think anyone could have understood at the time the 'loyalty' that existed in the car buying public - there was a will for Jaguar to succeed. There is no doubt in my mind that motor racing lay at the heart of Jaguar's charisma, reflected in our marketing slogan of the early 2000's - "Jaguar. A Racing Heart". The legend of Jaguar lives on, making cars today that capture that 'fairy tale' past with the 'rational' needs of today's car buyers - and next generation of Jaguar admirers.