The Full History Of Jaguar | A Classic Car Documentary

[@classiccardocumentaries]

I have always liked Jaguars and was really surprised on the life of its founder Sir William Lyons and how he started in the sidecar motorcycle industry. I feel like this story is a great video to add to my channel as it combines everything I want this channel to be about. Business stories about the world of classic vehicles. Enjoy!

[@aldoandikaa]

As always very good and informative video 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@agustinliden6189]

I love the full history of Jaguar.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@jimmeryellis]

Great stuff, shame about the pronunciation and some factual mistakes.

[@jamesportrais3946]

Nicely done! Great history of the very early years rarely covered. FWIW, pronunciation (English) of Daimler would be "dame-ler", Warwickshire would be "woriksher".

[@maureencora1]

I Wish Jaguar Bring Back the 2015 2+2 XKR or Make a 2025 XE 2dr Coupe Like the 2dr XJ Coupe of 1970s.

[@BluBlade-k7b]

60 years old and still looks fresh . Even Enzo said it .

[@getnotesonlife]

I am in a long time jaguar owner with a lot of experience with the Marque. I’m extremely well-versed in all things jaguar having spent personal time with Norman Dewis, jaguars long time test driver as well starting a jaguar club as part of JCNA Here in the USA. This was an absolutely excellent historical account of the history of the company. Excellent job! You touched on many accurate and essential key points! Thank you so much

[@pnojazz]

Dad had a 1967 4.2 liter XKE. I got to drive it to school occasionally. I’ve never forgotten that car!❤

[@helenlloyd6564]

I'm a Jaguar fan/enthusiast. Sir William Lyons was a great inventor. I own an XJ8 also a Bentley and Lexus all brill cars but have a passion for the Jag. The history and heritage of Jaguar is only matched by very few Marques. Duesenberg, Cord, Aubern, Armstrong-Siddley, Bentley, Rolls-Royce. Sorry if I left any others. I just love luxury cars rather than sports cars. I love the ride, leather and wood.

[@peterulrich497]

The world may never again see a design as beautifull as the XKE. Shagadelic baby!

[@richardautenzio8117]

Yes you are correct. But the most interesting point about William Lyons and his Jaguar cars was whilst the E Type was probably one of the most beautiful cars ever made, that beauty was in so many way imbedded in all his other cars. The E.Type only achieved its beauty as an evolutionary design from the D.Type to the XKSS to the E.Type which was a simpler design of the fore runners. Most of his cars were very beautiful and I considered them works of arts. No other car maker in the world that I know of has had the consistency of beauty in their designs. The original XJ6 in 1968 was one of Williams proudest cars. And he really did believe that it was the best car he had ever made. The best Jaguar car I have come across in the last 30 years which is still drivable as a modern car and yet still has lots of the traditional Jaguar thought in it's design and curves, is the 1996 XJ6, X300. That car was designed by the Geoff Lawson team at Jaguar and he knew William Lyons and understood his taste's and unique sense of beauty, which is lacking in all the modern Jaguar cars of today. When Jaguar started to compete with other car makers successes, they finished up with lookalikes, just like so many other cars today. Jaguar have lost their niche market for for the few and now aim at the masses with the name alone. However all said and done, the modern motor car consumer is responsible for the down turn in beautiful car today, as they care more about trends, status and fantasising about cars that can go faster, or at least give the impression that they can, rather than what they can realistically use.

[@Freesavh1776]

Your content is just amazing. You have a great narrating voice. It really catches your attention and won't let it go till the end. Keep up the great work my friend.

[@classiccardocumentaries]

Wow, thank you!

[@DMAX_DIY]

You do a fantastic job on these videos.. Thank you ..

[@DeidresTravelAdventures]

As a new owner of a 2000 XKR, I greatly appreciated your telling of the Jaguar story 👍🏻

[@timvilleneuve7244]

I enjoyed the movie Tucker, the Man and His Dream, so it was a bit distracting to see edits from that movie while explaining Lyons company and career. Maybe just using stills might portray a more accurate depiction. It's a great story and I always appreciate learning new info when it pertains to the automotive industry. Thanks.

[@classiccardocumentaries]

Fair enough!

[@john1703]

Jaguar was British (owned in India now, but still built in Blighty). It is pronounced as Jag - u - are, please. Austin 7s were made in Longbridge, Birmingham, although Coventry is only 35 miles away. Both places had skilled car workers. The last volume car styled by Lyons was the 1968 XJ6. You briefly showed, but did not speak of the part played by John Egan in helping Jaguar escape from the British Leyland mess.

[@davidsage6575]

Daimler pronounced Dame-ler, not Dia as in diamond.

[@e.d.t432]

Im picking up my first Jaguar tomorrow, an XFR. My grandfather was from Plymouth and a huge british automotive and racing fan his whole life. Wish he was still around to feel that supercharged V8!

[@terrybowler7215]

A couple of years ago I was staying at the cliffs Hotel in Blackpool. One morning walking up the side of the hotel on king edward ave I noticed a blue plaque on the wall outside another hotel . Reading the blue plaque it commemorated this was the childhood home of William Lyon and in the garage at the back is where he built his first sidecar . I've been fascinated ever since . What a genius he was, should have far more recignition

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Great vid!! 🤜🤛

[@classiccardocumentaries]

Thanks 👍

[@insitetoursirelandltd.5795]

Brilliant. Love my X351.

[@Mariazellerbahn]

A parallel universe where the Mk1, Mk7M, Mk8, Mk9, Mk10, S-type, 420, 420G, XJ6, XJS, XJ40, X-type never existed.

[@V12motorsports]

And ss 100

[@russbellew6378]

And SS90 and C-Type, XK140 and XK150 . . .

[@withheld566]

Nor Xj13, factory fire, Daimler 250, vanden plas, ds420, Daimlers' massive factory that was actually the point, Peter Egan. Yet jaguar somehow appreciated access to the heavy vehicles market through Daimler instead of bsa continuing to hold those rights. At least they had the decency call themselves completely different in this new universe (jag-gwar)

[@MrDirectorsCut]

really a great job and story

[@giggiddy]

Please keep the videos longer than the typical 15-16 minutes and I'd be glad to subscribe. Great quality!"

[@themaltonmotorcompany5964]

Great video, greetings from an independent Jaguar dealer in Great Britain…. 🇬🇧

[@classiccardocumentaries]

Hello there!

[@amyshorephotography3759]

Really great overview of the company and Lyons' life. A quick correction, Mike Hawthorn didn't die on track but in a road accident, hitting a tree. I'm married to William Heynes' grandson, so we found this very interesting to watch :)

[@jagvette1]

Yes Mike died on The Hoggs Bypass near Guildford.

[@starfish370]

Mike Hawthorn's accident occurred on the Hogs Back, between Farnham and Guildford as I remember.

[@jimmeryellis]

Yes, not at Silverstone which is many miles away. Another correction is that Blackpool is not and wasn't then a small town, and Coventry is likewise not massively bigger.

[@starfish370]

Mike Hawthorn died in a crash on 'The Hogs Back ' between Guildford and Farnham, Surrey. He lived in the area and had his own car dealership (Jaguar, naturally)

[@VictorGate]

@@jimmeryellis In Coventry in the 1960s when at its peak the population was about 340,000. Very prosperous at all levels of society, it appears to have drifted following the demise of the Motor Industry and associated aircraft building industries. Certainly there was minimal unemployment and the words Food Bank were unknown.

[@asullivan4047]

Interesting/informative/entertaining. A superb & astute business opportunist!!!😊

[@leowalless9328]

Appreciate all the effort put into producing this video, I'm sure it must have taken a ton of hours!

[@richardautenzio8117]

I love Jaguars too, or I did until until after the 2010 period when they lost their individuality and are just a name today. My first car was a Jaguar and so was my second car, back in the 1970's. I never cared for the name as much as I just loved their car. Jaguar cars were not just about speed and William Lyons loved luxury and value for money. So his cars became a more practical RR with a more sportier approach. Today far to many people care about speed as status and the Jaguar car has lost its way and it's niche market, that made its great success. It was William Lyons and his taste in his cars that I fell in love with. Not the brand name.

[@crisfrey2753]

Seeing that Argentina license plate at 21:39 is crazy to me as an argentinian, lol. Thank you so much for this video, every day I like Jaguar more and more and I hope my next car will be a Jaguar. Excellent documentary you made, very interesting and enjoyable to watch all the way to the end.

[@classiccardocumentaries]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@markstory9093]

The Jaguar Mk 2 built for the American market. How could a documentary on Jaguar miss out on the most significant 50’s Jaguar saloon that lead to the Mk 2. The 2.4 (Mk1)! Built from 55 onwards.

[@clyneheretic]

At some 140,000, Blackpool is certainly not a 'small' coastal town!

[@markchapman2585]

Great video

[@showmustgoon4167]

Great content 😮❤🎉

[@paulbroderick8438]

And to think that an Amazon distribution center now occupies the land on which Jaguar stood on at Browns Lane, Coventry, England. Sacrilege!!

[@MilosBrajkovic-rc3ik]

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi...

[@VictorGate]

@@MilosBrajkovic-rc3ik Gloria was sick in the back of the van. See my note above, in 1960 Amazon would be unable to find in Coventry a thousand people interested in stacking shelves on their type of employment contract.

[@brucewalker5890]

Daimler is also incorrectly pronounced. Also left out is mention of the excellent Mark 1 Jaguar and the demise of the road going D Type XKSS due to a disastrous factory fire.

[@peregrinemccauley5010]

Good doco'. Thanks.

[@SteveSaunders-rs7vc]

Mike Hawthorn was killed when his Jaguar crashed on the Guildford By pass, not Silverstone.

[@Fred_Raimer]

Yes, well over an hour away.

[@williambailey8757]

How about doing one for MG/MGB?

[@Chaneljagfolks]

Just love my S Type Jag.

[@drcoconutmonkey]

Love it. ❤

[@DanielSilva-gf4kk]

My dad bought his first new Jaguar last year at 84 years old, and coincidentally my older brother and sister are called João, which is Portuguese for John, and Patrícia. It's a funny coincidence but it makes the choice make even more sense. Fun fact too my dad's star sign is Leo which in Portuguese is the same as Lion and his Chinese one is Tiger. It's almost like his last car had to be a big cat. 😊

[@davidpeters6536]

Great story nicely told (not sure about all the clips from "Tucker" though).

[@gabthecrab1534]

I truly love Jaguar cars and it's legacy,I'm scared of what the future will look like for the company.

[@CrazyPetez]

You’re taking a lot of liberties with the true Jaguar story. You neatly skipped the C Type, so I’m bowing out.

[@richardfalconer1959]

I hope nobody tells Jeff Bridges that he has a starring role in your documentary!

[@piglos]

The Le Mans accident was not caused by a Mercedes braking too late for a corner. It was a lot more complex than that with 3 cars involved

[@john1703]

If anything, it was a Jaguar with discs braking suddenly to stop at the pits, forcing an Austin Healey to swerve, which collected the unfortunate third place, and overtaking Mercedes. Mercedes was still leading the race when the team withdrew because of the crash. "Nobody was held responsible."

[@4OHz]

16:17 In the late 60’s and 👂 70’s I never had a more high engine maintenance problems than my jag

[@Marine1111-p5x]

Enzo said Jaguar was a fine automobile he rarely complemented anything.

[@EdgyNumber1]

You missed out John Egan's influence.

[@coddiwomplecolster7329]

Jaguar would not have survived the 1980's without the wonderfully modest Egan.

[@167curly]

Yes, you're right. The JAGWAR pronunciation is Spanish for the big cat.

[@settertwo]

The Jaguar name was suggested to William Lyons by John Davenport Siddeley . Armstrong Siddeley's Jaguar Aero Engine was produced from 1922- 1928 .

[@shereefchemmukkan6932]

TATA MOTORS (INDIA) Purchased JAGUAR Car Company in 2008 ❤

[@garryarmit8688]

E Type? V12?

[@joeking4206]

Aaaw leave him alone. He’s American. Ask him to pronounce Birmingham 😂 However, great video. I live in Blackpool and I’m “into” cars and motorbikes but I didn’t know that Lyon’s grew up here. We had TVR here, that’s well known, but the William Lyon’s story passed me by, so thank you. Although…. Silverstone is not in Guildford. It’s in Northamptonshire. I was born in the same year as the E Type. Enzo Ferrari called it the most beautiful car in the world.

[@classiccardocumentaries]

Thanks for your kind words. Ironically, I was born in Birmingham [Michigan] and I currently live in Guilford [Connecticut]

[@joeking4206]

@@classiccardocumentaries No problem. I have friends in Cos Cob CT. I absolutely love the USA and wish I lived there. I first went there in 1973 on a school exchange programme. I have returned many times.

[@bbrcummins1984]

I have a beautiful 63 roadster for sale in Florida, absolutely beautiful car

[@TheDarkPhoenix23]

Great video, though Ford's official purchase of Jaguar happened in '89, not '84. I'm also surprised you didn't mention the XJ40 being the very last car Sir W.L. gave his blessings on, though he'd never see its production (to be released in '84 and delayed until '86.)

[@classiccardocumentaries]

Great point!

[@TheDarkPhoenix23]

@@classiccardocumentaries i also love your Porsche segment. Your vids are very well done

[@jameshampton8730]

Great video. Thanks. Just wondering why you showed an image of a cheetah at the beginning of the video instead of a jaguar.

[@ndh641]

I’m a Jag snob. However, it would have made more sense introducing the Daimler 4.5 v8 to the American market in the XJ. The smaller capacity 2.5 was also better than the Jag 2.4. Jaguar still had the prestiege in the development of the 5.3 V12 and did hold its own around the world, particularly diring the apparent “fuel crisis” of the late 70’s.

[@andrewdollery3807]

XJ 4 ! You mean 6. Lots of other important cars like the c type not mentioned.

[@bluemango7112]

Yes what a big stuff up there .

[@voanncr]

You said "Leyland and BMH merged." Should be BMC. 25:12

[@roconnor01]

The phonetic pronunciation for this company is Jag-you-ah, not Jagwah. Cheers from the UK.

[@Hattonbank]

Only in the UK. When we worked at the Jag we didnt car how it was pronounced as long as folk bought and drove them.

[@adrianmorrow9882]

So many mispronunciations. So little about the E-Type Jaguar and so wrong was the mention of the XJ4…??? That car never existed. It was the XJ6 and later the XJ12. Mike Hawthorn died in a road crash near Guildford - not at Silverstone. A script proofreader would have been very helpful. Apart from all the mistakes it was excellent…😂😂😂

[@tonyelson8336]

i have a leaping jaguar mascot in alloy did they fit these in 52 due to a shortage of chrome cheers tony e

[@sutherlandA1]

British leyland and jaguar were rescued in 1975 by the UK government and not the 80s and Ford purchased jaguar in 1989 and not 1984 which was the year it was separated from BL and was briefly independent again

[@russcooke5671]

THE MAN IN THE PICTURE NEXT TO THE E TYPE LOOKS LIKE DERRICK FROM THE CATHERINE TATE SHOW.

[@4OHz]

0:43 Are going to mention what Ford acquired when it bought Jaguar - a Whare house and a brand

[@bobstuart2638]

I don't see a picture of the prettiest Swallow Sports car, distinguished by relatively flat-wrapped fenders. Lyons was legendary for doing his styling right on a steel prototype, particularly on the XK 120. The accident at Le Mans was caused by a medium-speed car pulling over to pass a slow one, leaving no room for the Mercedes, and by the failure of the sand barrier which had always stopped other cars.

[@cilliangnaegi]

Thank you for your effort and using clips from my video (Link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/emS3f4CaqMeclbcsi=4xpqXMbdSt6zxUIm ). However I would find it appropriate if you ask for permission. Especially since your description is full of copyright-related information, you could at least give credit to the owners of the content. Also please correct the gross mistake concerning the XJ6. The XJ4 never existed. Thank you.

[@stevepearce1913]

William Lyons started a car company called Jaguar. I don't recall any cars made by Jagwar!

[@87CoronaFender]

You have trouble with accents?

[@clyneheretic]

Good documentary spoiled by mispronunciation (jag-uw-ar, not jag-waa) and silly mistakes due to lack of research (XJ6, not XJ4). Hawthorne was killed on the A2 near Guildford, reputedly street racing with Rob Walker (although this is disputed) - and 100 miles from Silverstone.

[@167curly]

And it's pronounced Damler not Dimler.

[@davehoward22]

Even Mr ferrari was amazed how cheap the e type was

[@the-btc-tradingfloor2808]

The old man loved Jags

[@gaccutler9526]

He founded Swallow Sidecars... later renamed Jaguar...

[@anthonyxuereb792]

SS cars came before Jaguar cars.

[@leewoodward7734]

Great documentary, despite the American mangling of my language

[@urismus1121]

No mention on certain models mark 5, mark 1, s type, 240, and the xj series was 6 not 4.

[@davidsage6575]

Silverstone is not Guilford. It is in the north of Buckinghamshire on the A43

[@melvynevason7981]

It's a jaggggggggg

[@paulqueripel3493]

Just one thing. Mike Hawthorn didn't die at Silverstone, Guildford, because Silverstone is nowhere near Guildford. He died on the A3, Guildford bypass.

[@johnnyboy1586]

Didnt mention the c and d type jags

[@maureencora1]

I Want a 2024 Jaguar XF Sedan & F-Pace SUV.

[@Dieubussy]

Le garçon britannique: Bravo la traduction.

[@nicholacousins8563]

Say it right yank😮

[@CrazyPetez]

Steam up your photos. The one shown at 1:48 was taken in San Francisco, USA! A place William had never been at that time.

[@bigmacdaddy1234]

Porsche never discontinued its 911 and Jaguar should never have discontinued the e-Type. That was a huge mistake. Now the companies is in a shambles with nothing to offer. Very sad.

[@charanrai5861]

❤🎉🎉🎉

[@bigbadhodad3894]

I’m just glad you didn’t say Jag Wire.

[@SteveSaunders-rs7vc]

It is JAGUAR not JAGWAR !!!!

[@borneobudi3431]

American English 😅

[@tommasosantojanni]

Queen Elizabeth once said, America and Britain are the best of friends, and share a very special bond, but are divided by language.

[@Indigenous51]

👌💯 % 😝

[@Fred_Raimer]

Really? Because Steve Jobs pronounced it Jag-WIRE LOL (no kidding)

[@tommasosantojanni]

@@Fred_Raimer exactly: you can't buy class with money 🤷🏻‍♂️😄

[@PedrSion]

Mike Hawthorn was killed in a road accident not in a circuit crash.

[@jagvette1]

So now all you need to do is learn how to pronounce JAGUAR JAG U WAH. Pity it was ruined with footage from “Tucker” and other American films

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

And aluminium 🤦‍♂️

[@classiccardocumentaries]

Americans pronounce aluminum differently too???

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

@@classiccardocumentaries Yeah, the rest of the world pronounce it “aluminium”

[@jagvette1]

You may notice they spell it differently too. Look out for soldering sounds like they are swearing. As sting sang I’m a legal alien, but in Arizona 😅😅

[@davidsage6575]

The title is misleading as this more the life story of Sir William Lyons than Jaguar cars. I owned a 73 XJ12 and a 1998 XJ8 (X300). Where was the iconic XJ220.

[@johnnyjrotten59]

Nissans started off as Austins too.

[@richardautenzio8117]

The truth about William Lyons?. William Lyons was not just about speed alone. He used speed to sell his cars but his heart was in producing a true luxury car that was similar to that of a Rolls Royce but more sportier and much cheaper. Today William Lyons image, concept and uniqueness for his car has been lost, and without a badge one can find it very difficult to identify one unless it is from the old stable. I see far too many people being obsessed with speed and performance in cars today and ignoring the other qualities, which often are real practicality and real material value for money. If it fast, it's a great car attitude, and so most of the fastest cars on the roads today are the ugliest cars on the road. Because that's all they have going for them. And with that attitude we also see many of the older Jaguars today being bought for their speed and performance, rather than the full traditional unique style and quality that Jaguar once offered. People ask why are some of these older jaguars so cheap. Well it's simple. Most people just don't appreciate the full value of the car, and thus popularity always rules over common sense. I can buy a used RR Silver Shadow in excellent condition for $50,000 in Australia. I can also pay twice the price for a small popular fashionable tin can (With little to no real luxury or quality interior) from the same period which cost much less than the original quality materials used in the RR back then. It's all marketing today as the car buyer today is his own worst enemy. Through TV entertainment shows like "Top Gear" they have tapped into our juvenile mentality, and they sell us old dreams rather than practicality and good value for money reality. It work's just like the fashion industry with its expensive ripped jeans. And if you are not aware, it was fashion that invented "the emperors new clothes".

[@VictorGate]

The problem with appearance, and I agree about the Jaguar range is that a combination of aerodynamics and safety regulations have limited the designer's skill. Front end rules such as bumper height, lighting etc are necessary but restrictive. I agree that some of the current top end models look as if from a Batman film.

[@andrewjacobs3219]

They should go back to the original name , SS 100 was a great name for a car . And in the prescent time they would get more support from the corrupt Lefty / Democrat minded customer , who nowadays support an agsnda that the SS would have no problem with .

[@Castle743]

The founder is turning in his grave.. Truly tragic

[@-.-SATAN-.-Dead]

🙂

[@-.-SATAN-.-Dead]

E type was my dream car 😭

[@daleolson3506]

Skip the music junked another video

[@sicosis]

Jaguar xj4...... really??? Silverstone...... Guildford...... really???

[@russcooke5671]

Not enough research. 👌

[@EEnnisjr]

I owned Jaguar XKE Series 1 and 3 when 15 to 25, with 2 sixes, and 2 twelves, and I can honestly tell you they are one of the biggest pieces of automotive junk to ever be built. It’s very obvious this narrator never drove, or I think even sat in one.

[@miriamdumbleton4280]

But you kept buying them, sweetie, even tho they were junk? Hmm. . .

[@amirnaim3675]

The British lad who built a British brand? Shocker

[@JamesDavis-jw6nj]

Drive & Own?

[@larrysmith6797]

Ford didn't buy Jaguar until 1990, not 1984.

[@Wil-nh5kz]

This is inaccurate. Jaguar was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1984 and it prospered as an independent Company under the leadership of Sir John Egan. The Egan era saw major investment in a new saloon model (XJ40) as well as work on a new sports model which never made it to production. The Ford takeover did not occur until years later (1989 to 1990). The commentor has also misunderstood the TATA takeover, which had been a disaster for Jaguar. TATA has shifted much production overseas and sales are ridiculously low (who wants to buy a 'British' car made in Slovakia, China or Brasil). I suspect it's only a matter of time before TATA pulls the plug.

[@royston9883]

Jag u ar , it’s not difficult!

[@Paul-y4d7i]

Only one problem they never fixed the oileaks you always knew that jaguar had been parked

[@Imagineering100]

That and the fact they were unreliable crap.

[@jeffpollard7304]

@@Imagineering100Rectified with the introduction of the new XK’s, beautiful and very reliable and very fast!!!

[@MichaelKingsfordGray]

Too many errors to count.