20 Jun 01
This was Jaguar's entry-level saloon, first launched pre-war as the SS Jaguar - the 'cad's Bentley' - but the name was changed post-war for obvious reasons. Fine value for money at £684, it had the same body and luxury fittings as its six-cylinder sister models, but under its stubbier bonnet (which featured less imposing headlamps than the bigger-engined cars) was the four-cylinder engine Jaguar bought in from Standard. It struggled to push the baby Jag up to 70 mph, but owners valued the 26 mpg economy, standard heater and swish image. It was easily Jaguar's best-selling model of the immediate post-war period. There have been no subsequent four-cylinder Jaguars, although William Lyons had plans for a 2.0-litre XK100.
