Description

An exciting combination of elegance and power has been the hallmark of all Jaguar cars. From the early days of the SS 100 to the current XJ220, they have captured the spirit of the times like no others. If the graceful SS 100 is the epitome of the prewar sports-car, then the glamorous and refined XK series (so popular in the US) was surely just as much a symbol of all that was best in 1950s style. And what car epitomizes the spirit of the swinging sixties as does the stunningly beautiful E-type?

A quick glance at the sleek, high-tech £440,000 XJ 220 is enough to show how far Jaguar has come from its humble origins in the back streets of Black-pool. The remarkable achievement of the early SS cars was to provide good looks and high performance at a genuinely affordable price; but as Jaguar became well established, the emphasis on high performance and style became paramount, and the brilliant twin-overhead-camshaft XK engine of 1948 formed the basis of a series of incredibly successful road and racing cars in the 50s and 60s.

In the XK120, 140 and 150 sportscars, and the Mk VII, VIII, IX and X sedans, Jaguar had a string of winners that changed the face of the automotive in-dustry. Yet Bill Lyons was not content with this alone, and the Le Mans success of the C-type and D-type added even greater prestige to this classic marque. For 50 years the energy and genius of Sir William steered the company from success to suc-cess, and just before his retirement in 1972, his crowning glory, the XJ6, fulfilled his lifelong desire to produce the best luxury car in the world.

The journey from the Swallow Sidecar Company, to the modern day Ford-owned Jaguar, has given us some of the most memorable cars of all time, and this beautifully illustrated volume, with an authoritative text by a leading Jaguar expert, is a fitting testament to this wonderful story. It is a must for the general reader and Jaguar enthusiast alike.

Hardback in good condition throughout.