JAGUAR

W 1922 r. two young motorcycle enthusiasts William Lyons and William Walmsley founded the Swallow Sidecar Company in Blackpool with share capital 1000 pounds sterling. Company, as it is clear from the name itself, produced motorcycle trailers.

W 1926 conditions for the production of car bodies as well. The small Austin Seven turned out to be a suitable object, a popular car with a very simple design. With the change of the production profile, the company's name changes to The Sidecar and Coachbuilding Co.

Too small plot in Blackpool forced expanding company to find new land to build plant in Coventry. Interesting bodies for Morris Covley came out from here, Fiat 509 A, Wolseley Horneta, Standard and other brands.

First own car, labeled SS, was modeled on the 6-cylinder from Standard. It was presented to the public at the London Motor Show. The SS type was short, an optically long car with a short driver's cab and a separate luggage compartment, located at the rear of the car with the spare wheel. These were elements used by the most famous body stylists at the time, such as: Figures, Van Vooren i inni.

The company was releasing limousines at that time, convertibles and sports cars with displacement engines 1,5, 2,5 and 3,5 liter. The most successful model of that period was the SS type 100, 3,5-liter, recognized as the fastest and most famous pre-war Jaguar.

After World War II, 1946 r. production started in the plants under a new name - Jaguar Cars Ltd. Attempting to modernize outdated models, William Lyons developed and built the new XK sports car 120, with a 6-cylinder engine 2 X OHC and displacement 3442 cm3. The body of the car with pressed aluminum sheet was modeled on the successful BMW 328. A modified type XK was used for racing at Le Mans 120 C, with a 6-cylinder engine with a power of 185kW (250 KM). He also started a series of sports successes in the years 1951, 1953, 1955, 1956 i 1957. In the season 1956 — 1957 the company officially resigned from participation in sports competitions.

William Lyons was knighted for Jaguar's contribution to the development of the auto industry.

W 1960 r. Jaguar Cars Ltd. buys Daimler with its shares in BSA plants. Eight years later, the merger with the Leyland group resulted in the creation of the largest corporation in the British car industry - British Leyland, in which, however, Sir William Lyons retained the character of his brand.