Jaguar Century

100 Years of Automotive Excellence

by Giles Chapman

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Pub Date 26 Oct 2021 | Archive Date 4 Nov 2021

Quarto Publishing Group – Motorbooks | Motorbooks

Nonfiction (Adult)

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Description

JaguarCentury chronicles one of the auto industry’s most revered car brands, from the Jaguar SS sporting saloon to today’s F-Type sports cars, F-PACE SUV, and X-Type sedans—filled with images, history, and in-depth analyses of the incredible cars created year after year.

Automotive historian Giles Chapman showcases how company visionaries William Lyons and William Walmsley developed the brand in the trying economic times leading up to World War II before resetting Jaguar during England’s bleak postwar years, first with its XK120, then the XK140 and XK150. Sporting saloons (i.e., sedans) like the Mark 2 and Mark X established further standards for four-door luxury in the 1950s and ’60s, while the stunning E-Type unveiled in 1961 became a holy grail of automotive design and gave Jaguar a genuine 150-miles-per-hour sports car. The story continues to the present, tracing all of Jaguar’s ups and downs right up to the acclaimed all-electric I-PACE. Chapman also covers Jaguar’s rich motorsport heritage, including open-wheel Formula 1 racers and the sports cars that went head-to-head with Ferrari, Porsche, and others at legendary circuits such as Le Mans over the decades.

From pre-Depression motorcycle sidecars hammered out in a modest shop in Coventry to the cutting edge of 21st century automotive technology, Jaguar Century offers a full review of British design and engineering at its finest. The book is illustrated with hundreds of historic, contemporary, and racing photographs, as well as detailed text. It is a definitive volume no Jaguar enthusiast can be without.

Available Editions

EDITION	Other Format
ISBN	9780760368664
PRICE	US$75.00 (USD)
PAGES	224

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Featured Reviews

Librarian 68637

Approachable history of Jaguar. Excellent balance between detail and covering the entire breadth of the company. This book is unusual in that it provides as much depth of later Jaguar models and company history as in the earlier years, so it is a complete history.

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Vivienne O, Reviewer

My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group Motorbooks for a temporary digital review copy via NetGalley of ‘Jaguar Century: 100 Years of Automotive Excellence by Giles Chapman in exchange for an honest review.

Written by Chapman, a highly respected motor journalist and automotive historian, this is a detailed history of the Jaguar marque from the founding of the Swallow Sidecar Company by William Lyons and William Walmsley in 1922 through to its transformation into one of the auto industries most revered brands - a vehicle that combined high performance and luxury.

‘JaguarCentury’ is packed full of photos and images of the development of the marque including the earliest Jaguars through to today’s. It also looks to the future as the company moves to producing all-electric Jaguars. Along the way Chapman provides in-depth analyses of each model.

More mundane concerns linked to the history of the company’s finances and the various changes in ownership and locations are also detailed. While less exciting than its racing cars and the development of its various models, these aspects give an indication of why certain decisions were taken.

I gained a lot of knowledge from reading this book, including that a Jaguar E-type had been acquired for MOMA’s permanent collection as ‘sculpture in movement’.

Jaguars are by far my favourite motor vehicle; even though well outside of my means. I recall my first trip in one and the smoothness of the ride like nothing I had experienced. I commented to the driver that it was like being driven about on a cloud.

In addition, I worked for over 15 years for a local company with strong ties to Jaguar, that included working on the XJ200 Supercar and restoring older models. During those years I spent many hours in the company of Jaguars both vintage and modern.

Overall, a fascinating read. As I live in Jaguar (Car) country, I have recommended that out County Libraries acquires copies to add to their collection.

This beautiful hardback edition would also make a perfect gift for a motor vehicle enthusiast.