One of the most recognizable British car brands of all time, Jaguar has been making cars since the 1930s. In that time, they've grown from humble roots as a niche manufacturer based in the English Midlands to become the global sales success they are today, with dealerships in every continent. They've put out a huge number of models and variants over the years, but if there's one model that's come to define the idea of a "classic Jaguar", it's the E-Type.
The car that was famously called the most beautiful ever made by Enzo Ferrari himself has cemented its reputation as a veritably iconic British classic, with the most pristine examples trading for hundreds of thousands. But, there's plenty more to Jaguar's back catalog than just the E-Type. With this list, we're going to be taking a look at some of the company's other greatest hits, from a cool-but-flawed V12 grand tourer to a record-breaking supercar that was briefly the fastest production car in the world.
10 XK8
Jaguar's struggle to replace the XJS lasted for years, with each new development idea rejected by executives at parent company Ford until, eventually, the XK8 was created. Underneath, it shared a lot of its design with the XJS, but its bodywork was all-new.
It was designed to be a powerful yet refined luxury coupe, one that could be driven fast but was equally comfortable on the daily commute. It delivered on all fronts and became a sales hit, much to the delight of Jaguar, who was facing a cash crunch at the time.
9 Mk2
The Mk2 sports saloon was built between 1959 and 1967, with roughly 83,000 units being built over the period. For any luxury car in those days, that's an impressive figure, so what made the Mk2 so popular with customers?
Well, it was partly down to the way it drove, with an inline-6 engine that was related to that of the E-Type. It was smooth but fast, and its generous interior space and plush furnishings meant it was one of the most well-rounded cars on the market.
8 D-Type
The D-Type was created with one purpose in mind: to win at the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans. It shared a lot of components with its predecessor, the C-Type, although its aerodynamics were significantly revised.
Several D-Types were created for the factory-backed team and some were also sold to privateer teams. A few were converted into "XKSS" cars, which were essentially D-Types with minor modifications to make them legal for British roads. In total, 75 D-Types were made in this initial run, and in 2018, Jaguar announced plans to make a further 25 more.
7 XK150
The late Fifties were a very busy period for Jaguar, as not only had it begun production of the now-iconic D-Type, it had also announced a new successor to its popular sports car, the XK140. It was called the XK150 and shared a close visual resemblance to its predecessor, although it came with several upgrades.
An upgraded engine was debuted in the XK150 that made 180 hp, although later in its production run an even more powerful version making 265 hp was available. Roughly 9,000 examples were produced until its replacement, the E-Type, was announced in 1961.
6 XJS V12
The XJS is infamous today for being one of the cheapest ways to own a V12-powered car, as its high maintenance cost and tendency to rust have helped keep prices rock bottom. But, back when it was first released, it caused a storm.
It was the replacement for the E-Type sports car, and yet it wasn't particularly good-looking or even that sporty. However, it was a hit with buyers, going on to have a 20-year production run, the longest of any Jaguar. In that time, over 114,000 examples left the production line.
5 XJ6 Series I
The XJ series of saloons became one of Jaguar's defining models for decades, with the last XJ rolling off the production line in 2019. The first of them was the XJ6 Series I, a car that redefined what an affordable luxury saloon could look like.
When it debuted in 1968, the XJ became an instant hit, thanks to its silky-smooth ride and interior comfort. Like many Jaguars, these early XJs suffered badly from being rust-prone, and so few are left on the roads today.
4 C-Type
The first dedicated racing car built by Jaguar was the C-Type, and it paved the way for the company's continued competition success over the following decades. It combined the internals of the XK120 sports car with a custom, lightweight body that was designed for maximum aerodynamics.
It saw competition success right from the get-go, winning two Le Mans titles in 1951 and 1953. The car was a close contender for the 1952 title but all three C-Types that were entered overheated thanks to a flaw with the cooling system, forcing them to retire early.
3 XJR-15
The XJ220 might be the most well-known Jaguar supercar, but the XJR-15 has just as much performance pedigree even if it tends to get forgotten about by the wider automotive community. It was based on the chassis of the Le Mans-winning prototype XJR-9, and only 53 units were ever produced.
The car was built by JaguarSport, a subsidiary company of Jaguar that was run in conjunction with Tom Walkinshaw Racing. It featured several pioneering technologies including the use of carbon fiber and Kevlar in its construction.
2 XK120
It's not the most famous name in the Jaguar back catalog, but the XK120 is arguably one of the most influential classic Jaguars of all time. After all, many of its components were borrowed to create the race-winning C-Type, and its engine formed the basis of all Jaguar sports cars for the next 25 years.
It was among the world's fastest production cars in its day, with a recorded top speed of 132 mph. XK120s rarely come up for sale on the open market today, and when they do, they fetch large sums, with a restored example selling for $396,000 in 2016.
1 XJ220
The XJ220 is not only Jaguar's fastest production car ever, but it was also briefly the fastest production car in the world until it was beaten by the McLaren F1. The original concept XJ220 was unveiled at the Birmingham Motor Show in 1988 and saw a lot of interest from buyers.
However, its final asking price of £470,000 (roughly $1.35 million today after inflation is taken into account) put off all but the wealthiest of clients, and in the end, less than 300 examples were produced. It remains one of the most iconic cars of the Nineties, and one of Jaguar's biggest achievements in its 90-year history.
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