Jaguar's story began in 1922 with William Lyons and William Walmsley and the Swallow Sidecar Company. The Jaguar name first appeared on an SS model in 1935, before becoming the company name after the Second World War.
Over the decades, the XK120, C-Type, D-Type, E-Type and XJ helped establish an identity built around an unusual combination of elegance and performance. The design language changed dramatically, but one idea remained remarkably consistent: a Jaguar should feel special before it even starts moving.
For more than half a century, the XJ represented Jaguar's interpretation of a luxury saloon. The X351 was the final chapter — and perhaps the most radical.
Discover the XJ story→
Introduced in 2009 under Design Director Ian Callum, the X351 abandoned much of the visual tradition of previous XJs. Its low roofline, blacked-out C-pillars, imposing grille and aluminium-intensive construction created something dramatically different while retaining the long, low proportions expected of a Jaguar flagship.
My 2018 XJ R-Sport pairs the 3.0-litre supercharged petrol V6 with all-wheel drive and is finished in Carpathian Grey. It comes from a symbolic year: 2018 marked 50 years since the original XJ appeared in 1968.
The first-generation XF helped redefine how a modern Jaguar could look and feel.
Discover the XF story→
Previewed by the C-XF concept in 2007, the XF replaced the retro-inspired S-Type with something deliberately contemporary. Under Ian Callum's design leadership, it introduced proportions and a visual language that would influence the next generation of Jaguars — including the X351 XJ.
The rotary JaguarDrive Selector rose from the centre console when the engine started, air vents rotated open from the dashboard, and blue ambient lighting created a sense of theatre. My 2014 XF Premium Luxury is from the facelifted X250 generation, powered by the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with rear-wheel drive and finished in Carnelian Red.
Parked together, the relationship between these cars becomes obvious. The XF represents the beginning of Jaguar's modern transformation. The XJ represents its fullest expression.
One is a sporting executive saloon built around rear-wheel drive and understated luxury. The other is Jaguar's aluminium flagship: larger, more sophisticated and powered by a supercharged V6.
That is what Jaguar Pride is about — not simply owning two cars, but preserving and enjoying two chapters of the same story.
The latest from @jaguarpride.cars — photography, reels and moments with the XJ and XF.
Jaguar Pride is an independent enthusiast project dedicated to two very different Jaguars — a 2018 XJ R-Sport and a 2014 XF Premium Luxury.
Created from an owner's perspective, it is about the cars themselves: their design, history, character, maintenance, road trips and the experience of keeping two generations of Jaguar on the road.