In 1922, a company calling itself Swallow began manufacturing motorcycle sidecars. In 1927, adopting the name SS, the company built its first automobiles, and in 1945, it switched to the name Jaguar.

This richly illustrated book tells the colorful story behind one of the most revered makers of high-performance and sports cars. From the inklings of greatness in its distant beginnings to its ascension to fame with the postwar XK series cars followed by the iconic E-Type introduced in 1961, this book traces the path of a company that produced vehicles of unprecedented power and beauty--including four-door saloons, race prototypes, the GT-oriented XJ-S, and the fabulous XJ-220 supercar.

The story continues today when, under Ford ownership, Jaguar continues to thrive, offering a line of top-notch modern cars. Jaguar: The Complete Story is an exhaustively researched account of the companys story, with a detailed look at every car it has built. Racing vehicles and prototypes receive due treatment as well, and an extensive appendix of technical specifications rounds out the book.