Cars Pictures & Information: May 2010

Jaguar Cars History

Founded as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, by two motorcycle enthusiasts, Sir William Lyons, William Walmsley, the SS Jaguar name first appeared on a 2.5 litre saloon in 1935, sports models of which were the SS 90 and SS 100.

The Jaguar name was given to the entire company in 1945 when the "SS" name was dropped due to its association with Germany's SS military organisation much publicised and in Britain greatly reviled during and following World War II.

Cash was short after the war and Jaguar sold to Rubery Owen the plant and premises of Motor Panels, a pressed steel body manufacturing company which had been acquired in the late 1930s when growth prospects had seemed more secure.

Jaguar Cars

Jaguar Cars

Nevertheless, Jaguar achieved relative commercial success with their early post war models: times were also tough for other Coventry based auto-makers and the company was able to buy from John Black's Standard Motor Company the plant on which Standard had built the six cylinder engines which, hitherto, they had been supplying to Jaguar.

Jaguar Cars

Jaguar Cars

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Jaguar S-Type R supercharged

The supercharged S-Type R joined the lineup in 2002, and the hope was that it would compete with BMW's M5 and the Mercedes E55 AMG. The R was powered by the newly revised 4.2 Litre V8 with an Eaton M112 supercharger producing 400 hp (300 kW; 410 PS) and could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 5.3 s (0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.6 s).

It included 18 in (457 mm) alloy wheels, wire-mesh grille and monochromatic paint. The R also has a rear apron, side-skirts, and front apron with built-in fog-lamps, a rear spoiler, a brace located near the rear subframe, and R badging on the boot lid and both front wings. It was the most expensive S-Type, with a base price of £50,040 in the UK (US$58,995 in the United States).

Jaguar S-Type R

Jaguar S-Type R

Koenigsegg CCX Exterior

The CCX is a two-door targa top and the removable roof can be stored under the front trunk meaning that, unlike many of its competitors, it can be changed at any location, not only one where the roof can be safely left.

The body, made of pre-impregnated carbon fiber and Kevlar, is 169 in (4,300 mm) long, 78.6 in (2,000 mm) wide and 44.1 in (1,120 mm) tall with a ground clearance of 3.9 in (99 mm).As with all previous Koenigsegg models, the "dihedral synchro-helix" actuation doors rotate forward and upwards similar to scissor doors though the Koenigsegg design avoids the problem of the open door obscuring the passenger's entry or exit.

Koenigsegg CCX

Koenigsegg CCX

2010 Cadillac CTS-V Recent tests

Motor Trend Magazine has run three comparison tests (see July/October, and August 6(first gen)issues)involving first the CTS-V vs. the RS4, then vs. the BMW M5 (July), and the Jaguar XF-R (October), with the CTS-V winning against the M5 marginally and Jaguar but losing to the Audi.

2010 Cadillac CTS-V

2010 Cadillac CTS-V

Another comparison, involving the Mercedes E63 AMG, was set in January, the CTS-V lost to the E63 AMG on the basis of the E63 being more refined, sharper, and showed high quality overall. Edmunds tested the 2009 CTS-V against the similarly prices Mercedes-Benz C63 and BMW M3 with the CTS-V winning (November 26, 2008). Road and Track tested the 2009 CTS-V against the Jaguar XFR on June 10, 2009 with the Cadillac winning. Car and Driver tested the 2009 CTS-V against the 2010 Jaguar XFR and 2010 Mercedes E63 AMG in November 2009 but losing to the Mercedes.

2010 Cadillac CTS-V

2010 Cadillac CTS-V

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Jaguar Cars History

Jaguar S-Type R supercharged

Koenigsegg CCX Exterior

2010 Cadillac CTS-V Recent tests