The history of Jaguar Cars began on September, 4th 1922, that two young motor-cycle enthusiasts. formed a small company in Blackpool, Lancashire. The premises consisted of two of the three storeys of an old building beside the railway bridge in Bloomfield Road, Blackpool. Total manpower (to the best of our knowledge) was eight. The company’s product was the sidecar. Capital was £1000. The firm was called the Swallow Sidecar Company, and the name of one of those two enthusiasts was William Lyons.
It was a time when a completely new venture, such as this one, could well have been expected to sink back into obscurity, what with the post-war boom in motor-car manufacture and the the opposing effect of declining trade which was to lead to the General Strike several years later. William Lyons’ acute business sense and flair for design outweighed any possibility of failure, however. The quality sidecar was established in a very short space of time. It flourished; and thus was written the first chapter of the success story which is the Jaguar organisation to-day. The company’s first Swallow sidecars were fitted to chassis built by Montgomery’s of Coventry, and optional equipment included the choice of electric or acetylene lighting.
These new “chairs” were the first to be designed aesthetically, and all of them were of smooth and sporting design. Within a year Mr Lyons had not only acquired his own stand at the Motor Cycle Show, but his wares were also put on display by four motor-cycle manufacturers. Lack of factory space soon became an acute problem, and two further Blackpool sites were taken over – in Woodfield Road (mainly for despatch purposes) and, shortly afterwards, in John Street which was fortuitously situated close to the main Swallow premises.
In mid-1926, plans for producing motor-car bodies were well under way, and this – together with the year-by-year increase in production of stylish sidecars made it necessary for Swallow to move into a larger building. The entire removal to the Cocker Street works took just two days, and Mr H Teather (one of several people, not long retired from the company, who worked at Blackpool) recalls that the task was completed with no assistance from outside sources, other than one pantechnicon and driver. By this time, mind you, Swallow boasted a grand total of over thirty employees!
The first Austin Swallow appeared late in 1926. – an era when the majority of popular cars could be described as distinctly stodgy, and when the market was wide open to infiltration from a firm of style-setters such as Swallow. Announced to the public in May 1927, the new car – based on that brilliantly- conceived (yet pram-like) “people’s car”, the Austin Seven – was an immediate hit. This two-seater incorporated all the refinements that the standard car lacked, and the lines of the body were in complete contrast to the then- fashionable “square-rigged” look. Three months later a Morris Cowley Swallow two-seater was introduced, fitted like the Austin with aluminium panels over a wooden frame. In 1927, too, the firm became the Swallow Sidecar and Coachbuilding Company.
By the following year, production was well advanced, and the first Swallow four-seater saloon body was added to the range. Austin chassis were now arriving in batches of fifty, and the lack of storage space at Cocker Street was causing embarrassment to the staff both of the Swallow company and of Blackpool North railway station. Mr Lyons had already decided that the manufacture of car bodies must from now on take precedence over the sidecar business, and the Cocker Street plant was bursting at the seams. Yet another move this time to Coventry, heart of Great Britain’s motor industry was the logical step that followed. Mr Teather was one of the last to leave Blackpool, and well remembers his arrival at Foleshill, Coventry, on November 7th, 1928 a cold and murky afternoon, trams with square wheels, coke braziers and gloomy makeshift lighting (due to the theft of the new electric main cable:)… But first impressions were soon forgotten in the bustle to settle into the new factory and the elegance of the finished article. Already (nearly fifty years ago) the virtues of Mr Lyons’ motor cars were being extolled by the technical press. During the early part of 1931 an attractive Wolseley Hornet Swallow was added to the range and, shortly afterwards, a Swallow-bodied Standard Sixteen.
The latter car was much more significant than its sales suggested- for its six-cylinder engine formed the basis of an important new association. Meanwhile, the “Sidecar” title had been dropped (although sidecars were still being turned out at a steady rate*), and in Autumn 1931 the Swallow Coach- building Company announced: … the S.S. is coming !! The S.S. “came” on October 9th, and was one of the sensations of the London Motor Show, held later that month. The first S.S. road test appeared in the Autocar several months later: most modern lines, long low and rakishly sporting, the general effect being that of a powerful sports coupe costing £1000, although the actual price is less than a third of that figure performance in keeping with its looks ….. very steady on bends ….. steering which is light and positive”. It was in similar terms to these that the XK 120 was heralded by the press just seventeen years later!
The S.S. I of 1931 was the first car to be introduced by the Swallow organisation as a marque in its own right. True, the Standard company supplied the engine and chassis, but the latter was specially manufactured for Swallow. Compared with the equivalent Standard Sixteen’s height of 5ft. 8 ins. the S.S. stood only 4ft. 7ins. off the ground. At the same time a “miniature” came on the market, too; this was the S.S. II, built on a modified version of the Standard Little Nine chassis. The S.S. I and S.S. II were priced at £310 and £210 respectively. Continued .. Footnote * Although sidecars were never again the company’s dominant products, their manufacture was by no means abandoned. Having already transferred to Messrs. Charles Hayward the responsibility for chassis supply, the Swallow company now assigned the task to Messrs. Mills-Fullford. Four years later, in 1935, Grindlay’s of Coventry took over, and this firm continued to supply sidecar chassis to the company until the outbreak of World War II. Immediately after the war, the sidecar assets were sold to the Helliwell Group, who, three years later, sold again to Tube Investments Ltd. (In addition to continuing sidecar manufacture at Walsall Airport, this firm tried its hand at vehicle-building
The ensuing years saw a gradual tailing-off in Swallow-bodied cars, and a meteoric rise of both production and variety in the S.S. In addition to improved versions of the coupe models, new S.S.s appeared with four-seater open and saloon bodies. The final S.S.s to be announced were the S.S. I Airline saloon (late 1934), and the S.S. I drophead and S.S. 90 two-seater sports (early 1935). Over the last couple of years engines had become more powerful, and four different ones were now available; these were 20 h.p. and 16 h.p. for the S.S. I, and 12 h.p. and 10 h.p. for the S.S. II. S.S. Cars Ltd., was floated as a public company in late 1934 – a major step. and sidecar manufacture was continued by the Swallow Coachbuilding Co. (1935) Ltd. (See footnote on page three). Already the original Foleshill factory site of thirteen acres was fully occupied, and the land between it and Beake Avenue had been acquired for further expansion.
The S.S. Is and IIs were to continue being built until 1936. 1935 was a momentous year, for it was in that autumn that the first “Jaguars” were announced – largely a result of forming an S.S. engineering department, under the leadership of William Heynes. An elegant and beautifully proportioned four-door model (its body design was to remain basically the same right up until the Mk V was superseded by the Mk VII in 1950), the new S.S. Jaguar was a sensation. A new overhead valve cylinder head was evolved, with the co-operation of Harry Weslake, and the result was a boost from 70 b.h.p. to 90 b.h.p. for the 2-litre engine, which was also specified for an S.S. Jaguar 4-seater tourer and for the new “100”: A 1½-litre version of the new saloon also appeared and soon (1937) its engine became an o.h.v. too.
In Autumn 1937 there was a change-over from wood-framed saloon body work to the all-steel type a major contribution to weight reduction, increase in strength, and speed of manufacture. (Some 250 cars were despatched each week during 1938 and up to the outbreak of war). A 3-litre o.h.v. engine came on the scene, too. In addition to the saloons there was now an S.S. Jaguar drophead, whilst the S.S. Jaguar 100 – a development from the S.S. 90 – became available with the 3.5-litre engine, providing a genuine 100 m.p.h. maximum speed. Today this magnificent 2-seater sports car is a much sought-after collector’s piece. The beautiful S.S. Jaguar 100 coupe displayed at the 1938 London Motor Show was the last new model to be announced before World War II, but it was never marketed.
The late ‘thirties saw a great boom in export business, brought about by the new Jaguars’ tremendous value for money, their world-wide reputation for quality, and their sporting nature. As far back as 1933 Mr Lyons had realised the prestige value of indulging in competitions, and had entered an official team of 20 h.p. S.S. I tourers in the Alpine Trial of that year. Although they had met with little success, they had been back the following year and won a Silver Plaque for their third place in the team event. It was with the introduction of the o.h.v. engines that big competition success came the way of the S.3. Jaguars. Amongst the most important of the 3.3. Jaguar 100’s S.S. numerous victories of the late 1930s occurred in the Alpine, Paris-Nice, R.A.C., and Welsh rallies.
It was, however, in the post war years that Jaguar’s pinnacle of sporting achievement was to be reached. For the meantime, in September 1939, in common with virtually all other motor manufacturers, S.S. Cars Ltd., went straight over to war work, and the company’s remarkable adaptability was shown to good effect by a variety of assignments. – While S.S. Jaguars continued to be made well into 1940, much of the organ- isation’s activity was now centred around the production of materials of war, including three types of trailer (5 cwt., 10 cwt., and 6 ton) which were soon being produced for the War Department in large quantities among them the special-purpose trailers for Wingate’s legendary expedition.
Even before the war had started, 3.S. had begun the manufacture of wing components for the “Stirling” bomber, and this work was followed by (amongst others) a contract for the complete repair and modification of Armstrong Whitworth “Whitley” bombers; and when the “Whitley” was taken out of service, S.S. switched to repair work on the “Wellington”. Components were made for many other aircraft including the “Spitfire”, the “Lanchester”, the “Mosquito” and the “Oxford”. When hostilities were drawing to a close, the company under- took the construction of complete Gloster “Meteor” centre sections. War-time experimental work by S.S. included two technically interesting four- wheeled alternatives to the motor-cycle combination then used by airborne forces. These two lightweight prototypes (built in 1944) were very advanced in design, incorporating fully independent suspension and unit construction.
They were shelved only because rapid development work enabled transport air- craft to carry heavier loads. So, in The name “Jaguar” was by no means forgotten during the war, whereas the initials “S.S.” were hardly likely to help sell anything at allia March 1945, “S.S.” was dropped for good and the firm was given the title for which it was to become world famous Jaguar Cars Limited. – Peace came in that summer. Car manufacture was put in hand once again, and the first post-war Jaguars began to appear in October. In 1945, too, came the sale of the company’s sidecar interest, as recorded earlier. – The Foleshill factory was much improved as a result of rebuilding after war- time damage six of the shops had been destroyed in 1940 – and plans for the future were well under way. No new models appeared immediately, however, for the late 1940s were difficult and austere years. Exports were the answer and America was to be the number-one customer.
The first consignment of Jaguars for the USA was shipped in January 1947. (This was one of the pioneering moves in the great British car export drive, which was to do so much good for the prestige of this country.) Today Jaguars are bought in all parts of the world. In post-war years, Jaguar exports have averaged well over 50% of total production. September 1948 saw the introduction of the first model in Jaguar’s new programme. This was the Mark V, available in 22-litre and 3½-2-litre forms both as a coupe and as a saloon, and fitted with independent front suspension. What was now missing? a Jaguar sports car! Since the war there had been no S.S. Jaguar 100 production.
One example had been stored throughout the war, and afterwards rebuilt and sold to Ian Appleyard who gained many successes with it. This car’s most important successes were Best Performance overall a Coupe Des Alpes in the 1948 “Alpine” followed by a class win and 2nd overall in the 1949 Tulip Rally (Appleyard’s first success, however, had been a class 3rd in the 1947 Alpine with another S..S. 100). But the necessity to replace the “100” model had not gone unnoticed, and design and development work on a completely new project had been going ahead for several years.
Earls Court Motor Show
In the month following the appearance of the Mark V, the new sports car made its debut at the Earls Court motor show. It was called the XK 120. Overnight it rendered obsolete all previous concepts indeed it proved to be one of the most in sports car design and performance successful of all sports cars.
The XK-120 brought luxury to sports car motoring, and was the first quantity-produced car to be fitted with a twin overhead camshaft engine. In 1949 one of the first production models was taken to Belgium and, in an officially timed series of runs, covered a “flying mile” at 132.596 mph on the Ostend-Brussels highway. The first XK-120s were open two-seaters, but fixed-head and drophead coupé models were soon introduced. XKs were on numerous occasions driven to outright victory in classic rallies and races, including the ‘Alpine’, the ‘Liege’, the Tourist Trophy, the ‘Tulip’, the ‘Acropolis’, the ‘R.A.C.’ and innumerable other competitions at home and overseas.
Yet these successes were accomplished with cars that were, when used on the road, as docile and tractable as anyone could desire. – In appearance, the XK-120’s flowing contours represented a new era in body design. Two years after the XK-120 first appeared, a new saloon was announced. Incorporating the same 3½ litre, 2 o.h.c. engine, this car the Mark VII was capable of over 100 mph. Their high quality, distinctive styling, and outstanding performance, coupled with a modest purchase price, made both the XK 120 and the Mark VII an instant success, and business boomed both at home and abroad particularly in the USA, where a comprehensive sales and service organisation had been built up.
The Jaguar company made its serious entry into the competition world as an official team in 1951, and quickly prepared a team of lightweight, -engined C-type sports cars for the famous Le Mans 24-hour race. The new Jaguar won easily on its first outing! Thus was launched a spectacular attack (in which the C-type was followed up in 1954 by the D-type) on the racing scene, and this led to an almost endless succession of victories including five at Le Mans and others at Dundrod, Sebring, Reims, and all over the world the factory withdrew from the fray in 1956/7. Since then, private owners have continued to uphold Jaguar’s fine reputation in the competition field. – – before Not unnaturally, the reception accorded to the XK-120 and the Mark VII had made it necessary to increase output considerably. The Foleshill factory was beginning to prove inadequate, and 1951-52 saw the company take over its present one million sq. ft. factory at Browns Lane, Allesley, on the north- western fringe of Coventry.
Still the company expanded with the introduction of each new model. The XK 120 was followed by the XK140 (1954), the XK150 (1957), and the E-type (1961); the Mark VIII (1956), Mark II (1958), and the Mark X (1961) succeeded the Mark VII; and 1955 brought the introduction of the first in a new range of integrally-constructed medium-size saloons the 2.4 litre model which was developed (through the Mark 2) into the S-type and 420 saloons. Towards the end of 1956 the company was honoured by a visit to the factory by Her Majesty the Queen and H.R.H. Prince Philip, and by the conferment of a Knighthood on the Company’s founder. Early in the following year, total loss of the works by fire was narrowly avoided. Nearly one third of the factory was totally destroyed, but sub-sequent rehabilitation and rebuilding was quick and efficient, and production which had ceased for only a day soon exceeded pre-fire level. Jaguar’s prosperity continued.
The need for more floor space prompted the purchase in 1960 of the Daimler company’s premises which are located nearby. Having, by this move, entered the passenger and military vehicle business, Jaguar diversified its interests still further by acquiring Guy Motors of Wolverhampton (1961), Coventry Climax (1963), and Henry Meadows Limited (1964), whose wide variety of products served to extend still further an already comprehensive range. In 1966 the Jaguar group merged with B.M. C. to form British Motor Holdings; this, in turn, merged with Leyland group (producers of commercial vehicles) in 1968, to form British Leyland. 1968 saw the introduction of Sir William Lyons’s greatest saloon car range, the XJ6, which was voted “Car of the Year”.
Its immediate success has continued to this day. In 1971 a new 5.3 litre V12 engine appeared, and was fitted initially in the E-type sports car. In the following year came a logical development, the XJ12 saloon which, like the XJ6 before it, gained the “Car of the Year” award – a fitting tribute to Sir William Lyons, who retired in 1972. to become Jaguar’s honorary president after fifty years at the helm’ of the company he founded. Today’s range of Jaguar cars the six and twelve cylinder XJ saloons, and the sensational XJ-S grand touring (launched 1975) – together with the luxury Daimler limousine and saloons, represents all that is best in British automobile engineering; a form of road travel that provides a combination of safety, silence, comfort and performance that many experts have described as the best to be found anywhere.
