Jaguar produces one of the sportiest cars in the world. And to date, it is one of the best car manufacturers of luxury and performance cars. But what’s the history of Jaguar? Who owns the company and where are they made?
Jaguar is currently owned by Tata Motors, an Indian automaker known for producing luxury cars. Initially, Jaguar was owned by British Motor holdings and then British Leyland. It was then bought out by Ford and now it’s owned by Tata. While Jaguar cars are built worldwide, they still have their main manufacturing plant in Birmingham, England.
The story behind Jaguar’s ownership
The Jaguar origins
Over the years, Jaguar has been owned and managed by different bodies. The automaker was initially known as Swallow Sidecar Company, a company that produced motorcycle sidecars. It was founded in Blackpool, England, in 1922 by William Lyons and Williams Warmsley.
In 1935, Swallow Side Company changed its name to S.S. Cars Limited. In this same year, SS Cars Limited, in collaboration with Standard Motor Co, made the first set of cars bearing the model name–Jaguar. They included the SS Jaguar 2.5 liter Saloon, SS 100, and SS 90.
Luxury Jaguars become famous
These cars soon became famous for their sleek and stunning designs. However, to better portray the quality of cars produced, the name was changed from SS Cars to Jaguar Cars in 1945. From 1940 to the 1960s, Jaguar flooded the market with incredible luxury, sports, and race cars, stamping them as premier car makers. They included C-type racing sports cars and the XK120.
To enlarge the company and production scale, in 1966, Jaguar combined with British Motor Corporation forming British Motor Holdings. Then in 1969, BMH merged with Leyland Motor Corporation and became British Leyland. However, financial difficulties soon hit British Leyland. Because of this, Jaguar in 1984 broke out and became an independent company once more.
Bought out by foreign car manufacturers
In 1999, Ford Motors, in a bid to build a luxury brand to grow its already struggling brand, Lincoln bought Jaguar Motors. This made Jaguar part of its top automotive group together with Aston Martin, Volvo Cars, and Land Rover.
However, it wasn’t a good move for Ford, as Jaguar didn’t make any profit under Ford’s management. Because of this, Ford sold Jaguar together with Land Rover to the Indian auto manufacturer Tata Motors in 2008.
In 2013, Tata Motors merged Jaguar and Land Rover to birth the name Jaguar Land Rover Limited, a private associate with its headquarters in the UK.
Jaguar calls the shots
Under Tata’s administration, Jaguar was more self-sufficient than it was under Ford. Changing most of its vehicle designs and technology. A proof of this change is the I-pace SUV, the first electric Jaguar.
Interestingly, Jaguar manufactures some of the best SUVs, luxury, and sports cars today. Jaguar vehicles match and even top some of their competitors like Mercedes, BMW, and Audi in terms of luxury, technology, and performance.
Looking to the future, Tata has announced that by 2025, all Jaguars will be fully electric. It’s quite a transition from their sidecar origins.
Where are Jaguars made?
Jaguar Land Rover has its headquarters in Coventry, England, with its main production plant in Birmingham, England. However, Jaguar has spread globally and now has manufacturing plants in different countries, including China, Austria, and India. Each of these countries has a specific Jaguar model they produce.
- The factory in Birmingham, England, manufactures the Jaguar XE, XF, and F-type.
- The plant in Solihull, England, produces the Jaguar F-pace
- Wolverhampton, England are manufacturers of the Engine assembly for Land Rover and Jaguar.
- In Graz, Austria, the E pace and I-pace are manufactured in operation with Magna Steyr.
- Changshu, China, manufactures Jaguar XE, XF, and E-pace, together with engine assembly.
- Pune, India assembles the Jaguar XF using the complete knockdown kits. Knockdown kits are collections of different components built in one region, then moved to another area for final assembly.
- It is worth noting that before Ford sold Jaguar to Tata, Ford also produced some Jaguars in the US as well. So, don’t be surprised to see a US manufactured Jaguar.
Cars that placed Jaguar on the pages of history
Since the inception of Jaguar, the British automakers have introduced many cars into the market. Most became a success, helping Jaguar with their reputation as automakers of luxury premium cars. They have SUVs, race cars, and sports cars. Some famous models include:
- SS Jaguar Saloon. This was the first car made that used Jaguar as a model name.
- The 1948 Jaguar XK120. The beautiful, classy sports car was the fastest at the time, running a top speed of 120mph.
- 1951 Jaguar Type-C. This was used to replace the XK120 with much lighter construction and a sportier look. It emerged as the winner of the 1951 and 1953 “24 hours of Le Mans” races, as well as the Remix Grand Prix in 1952. It is the first car that used disc brakes to win a race.
- 1954 Jaguar D-Type. This is the first sports car to win the “24 hours of Le Mans” race multiple years in a row: 1955, 1956 and 1957.
- 1961 Jaguar E-Type. Most people regarded it as the most beautiful car ever made.
- Jaguar XJ220. In production from 1992-1994, the XJ220 was the fastest production car until the Mclaren F1 was introduced. It has a top speed of 212.4 mph
- Jaguar F-Type SVR. Its exquisite design is a remembrance of the early Jaguars.
FAQs
Do Tata Motors totally own jaguar?
Yes, Jaguar is wholly owned by Tata Motors. In 2008, Tata bought Jaguar together with Land Rover from Ford for $2.3 billion. Since then, it has stood on its own, establishing both as Jaguar Range Over in January 2013, with its headquarter in England.
Jaguar’s ownership history: British Motor Holdings held Jaguar from 1966 to 1968. Then it was owned by British Leyland from 1968 to 1984. It was under the ownership of Ford Motors from 1999 to 2008. In 2008, Ford sold it to Tata Motors, the current owners.
Is Jaguar an Indian company?
Jaguar is not an Indian company. While the Indian automaker, Tata Motors, own Jaguar now, it was born in England. To date, its headquarters are still in England. In addition, many Jaguars in the market today were designed and produced in England.
Who makes Jaguar engines?
Initially, Jaguar engines were made by Ford Motors. The V8 and V6, gasoline and diesel engines were from Ford. Some of them, like the AJ-V6 and 60 V6, were designed by Ford and modified by Jaguar. However, Jaguar Land Rover has taken steps to produce their own engines.