Jaguar Century: 100 Years of Automotive Excellence

Description

Established in 1922 by William Lyons and William Walmsley, the Swallow Sidecar Company transformed into one of the auto industry's most revered car brands, synonymous with performance and luxury. Jaguar Century chronicles this company and its remarkable vehicles, from the 1935 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 Jaguar has created year after year. Automotive historian Giles Chapman showcases how company visionaries 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.

Giles Chapman is an award-winning writer and commentator on the industry, history, and culture of cars. He has worked across a vast array of media for 35 years, which includes writing 50 books on a diverse range of subjects. One of them, My Dad Had One of Those, is among the most popular car books of all time, with over 180,000 copies sold. Chapman also served as editor-in-chief of three titles for DK: The Car Book, The Classic Car Book, and Drive, published internationally in numerous languages and to wide acclaim. Chapman's Car Compendium won the Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy in 2008. His interviews with people whose lives are in, around, and sometimes even opposed to cars appear regularly in newspapers and magazines, and he has written widely on car design and its impact on the wider world. Chapman's career began in automotive industry consultancy before moving into magazine publishing, where he was editor of Classic & Sports Car, the world's best-selling classic car magazine. Since 1994, he has contributed to dozens of famous newspapers and magazines. Besides his own books, he's worked as editor, advisor, and consultant to many other authors and publishers. Chapman also founded the Royal Automobile Club's Motoring Book of The Year Award, and he appears regularly on TV and radio commenting on motoring and automotive industry issues. He lives in Kent, UK.

"The focus is on a sweeping overview of brand philosophy, product, and people. There is no fluff here nor is there anything lacking." -- Sabu Advani * SpeedReaders.Info * "...a big, beautiful, well-designed book that is a delight to look at and read...a loving look at one of the most legendary British marques in the history of the automobile." * JoeFarace.com *