In the mid-fifties Jaguar was selling only luxury and sports vehicles. Realising that it needed to produce a car that could be sold at home and to a larger market, Jaguar introduced MK I at the 1955 Motor Show. In 1960 Daimler was bought by Jaguar. On July 11, 1966, Jaguar Cars Ltd and the British Motor Corporation Ltd announced they would merge.
In 1972 William Lyons retired, 50 years after forming Swallow Sidecar Company on his 21st birthday. His retirement was followed by a period of confusion, as there was no single headman at Jaguar till the winter of 1979.
In April 1980, 40-year old John Egan became Jaguar’s new full time chief executive officer. He brought an air of optimism and new life to Jaguar and by 1985 it was clear that Jaguar was stable once more.
In 1984, Jaguar was floated off as a separate company on the stock market. In September 1989, the Ford Motor Company made an offer to purchase the company, which was accepted at an extraordinary general meeting in January 1990 and Jaguar was removed from the London Stock Exchange listings on February 28, 1990. In 1999 it became part of Ford's new Premier Automotive Group along with Aston Martin, Volvo Cars, and from 2000 Land Rover. Aston Martin was subsequently sold off in 2007.
A 2005 Jaguar XJR
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