The 1990s and 2000s

Jaguar heads into the future

The Jaguar brand has been revitalised in the past two decades, with a new focus on luxurious performance cars that outclass the competition.

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  1990 – A REMARKABLE DOUBLE

  Jaguar XJR-12s, owned by Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR), finished first and second at Le Mans. To celebrate this remarkable success, Jaguar commissioned TWR to create a limited-edition road-going version, the XJR-15. Only 50 were produced, with a price tag of just under $1 million each.

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  1990 – NEW OWNERS

  Jaguar was bought by Ford Motors.

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  1992 – YET ANOTHER SPEED RECORD

  Inspired by the Le Mans success of the XJR-9, Jaguar’s chief engineer, Jim Randle, wanted to build a road car with the same scintillating performance. The result was the XJ220, developed by a group of Jaguar employees known as the Saturday Club, who worked on special projects in their spare time. Only 300 XJ220s were made, and for a while in the early 1990s it was the world’s fastest production car.

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  1996 – JAGUAR’S FASTEST-SELLING SPORTS CAR

  Jaguar’s own design team beat off competition from other parts of the Ford group to create a new sports car for the company’s first V8 engine. The XK8 took inspiration from iconic Jaguars of the past and blended them into a sleek shape that met the contemporary requirements of space, safety and luxury. The XK8 immediately exceeded all expectations and became the fastest-selling sports car in Jaguar’s history.

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  2000 – ACHIEVING A LIFETIME AMBITION

  Ian Callum joined Jaguar as Design Director. More than 30 years earlier, at the age of 14, he had seen an XJ6 in a showroom and dreamed of designing Jaguars for a living.

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  2008 – ELEGANCE REDEFINED

  The first new Jaguar of the millennium was the XK, the design for which echoed past Jaguars yet was strikingly contemporary. The body was based on an aluminium monocoque chassis, and the 4.2-litre V8 engine, derived from its predecessor, was later upgraded to a 5.0-litre version. The supercharged XKR model offered even greater levels of power and acceleration.

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  2008 – A NEW PARENT COMPANY

  Jaguar was sold to Tata Motors of India.

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  2008 – THE SUPER SALOON

  Packed with technological and aesthetic refinements, the XF became an instant success with its classic Jaguar mix of performance, comfort and driver appeal. It was a worthy descendant of the Mark II, the car that created the sporting saloon sector. A supercharged XFR, with minor modifications, became the fastest Jaguar ever by reaching 226mph at the famous Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
  

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  2010 – BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL

  The latest XJ marks a clean break with the previous models in the series and has been a worldwide sales success. The aluminium structure has brought improvements in performance and economy, while the advanced dynamics create a level of agility scarcely credible in a car that also offers a wealth of luxury, security and relaxed refinement.

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  2010 AND BEYOND

  There is no doubt Jaguar will continue to focus on innovative, seductive performance well into the future. It is already pushing the boundaries of design and sustainability. The C-X75 electric concept car, unveiled to universal acclaim at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, gave an exciting glimpse into what the future holds for Jaguar.