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Take an exhilarating ride through Jaguar production history, from the original SS to the I-PACE EV, with narratives, photos, and spec tables for each.
In 1935, a pair of motorcycle enthusiasts in Coventry, England—William Lyons and William Walmsley—established a firm called the Swallow Sidecar Company. Soon, they pivoted to automobiles, launching a sporting saloon (i.e., sedan) called the Jaguar SS. The decision set in motion the company that would create Britain’s most beloved line of high-performance automobiles.
The Complete Book of Jaguar, 2nd Edition tells the whole story with:
- A thorough profile for every production model, presented in chronological order
- Spec tables highlighting key technical and performance specifications and their changes across each model
- Narratives by distinguished motoring historian Nigel Thorley discussing the innovations and technology featured in each model
- Color photography of new and restored examples
- Historical black-and-white imagery
- A new chapter covering Jaguar’s commitment to an alt-fuel future with extensive up-to-date coverage of the hybrid E-PACE and F-PACE SUVs and the I-PACE EV
As you turn the pages, follow Jaguar’s trajectory to becoming one of the world’s most celebrated automakers. In England’s bleak postwar years, the company was a shining star—first with its
XK120, followed by the
XK140 and
XK150. Sporting sedans like the
Mark 2 and
Mark X set the bar for luxury four-door transport in the ’50s and ’60s. Then Jaguar stunned the world in 1961 with the achingly beautiful
E-Type, a genuine 150 mph sports car. Though Jaguar lost its way periodically in the modern era, it has bounded back stronger than ever in the twenty-first century with a strong lineup that includes the new
F-Type sports car.
The Complete Book of Jaguar, 2nd Edition is the essential and most current guide to one of the truly iconic marques in the history of sports and luxury automobiles.
Filled with photos and data-packed spec charts,
Motorbooks’ Complete Book series presents automotive and motorcycle enthusiasts with authoritative histories celebrating their favorite vehicles. Some other subjects in the series include Corvette, Porsche 911, Ford Mustang, Ducati, BMW Motorcycles, Dodge and Plymouth Muscle Cars, and Volkswagen GTI.
List of contents
Preface
Introduction: What's in a Name?
Chapter One: Model to Marque
The Early Pushrods
Chapter Two: The Postwar Pushrod Years
Chapter Three: The Straight-Six XKs
Chapter Four: The Flagship Saloons
Mark VII to 420G
Chapter Five: Mass Market Compacts
Mark 1, Mark 2, S-Type, and 420
Chapter Six: The Iconic British Sports Car
E-Type
Chapter Seven: One-Model Policy
The XJ Series
Chapter Eight: Grand Tourer: XJ-S
A Cat of Nine Lives
Chapter Nine: Big Saloon Development
XJ40 to X-308
Chapter Ten: The Return of the XK
X-100 to X-150
Chapter Eleven: New Markets in the Millennium
Chapter Twelve: Later Internal Combustion Jaguars
Chapter Thirteen: From ICE to EV
Index
About the author
Nigel Thorley has been involved with Jaguars all his life, having owned 68 at the time of writing. His first Jaguar came at the age of 18, and he has owned most models over the years, currently owning a 5.0 litre XK Portfolio convertible and an XJ saloon. Nigel has written over twenty titles on the Jaguar marque, including several of the Essential Buyer's Guides for Veloce Publishing. He is a founder member and director of the Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club and has edited its magazine Jaguar Enthusiast since 1984. Having previously edited Jaguar Driver magazine, he has also written for many other forms of media.
