SS Cars Ltd
British sports and saloon-car manufacturer that became Jaguar Cars Limited in 1945.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
SS Cars Ltd was a British motor manufacturer whose origins lay in the Swallow Sidecar Company, founded in 1922 by William Lyons and William Walmsley. The business initially produced stylish motorcycle sidecars, then expanded into coachbuilt automobile bodies mounted on chassis supplied by other manufacturers. Its early work used Austin, Morris, Standard, Fiat and Wolseley components, allowing the company to sell visually distinctive cars without initially developing a complete proprietary mechanical platform. The company moved from Blackpool to Coventry during the late 1920s, placing it closer to Britain's developing motor industry and component suppliers. Under Lyons's design direction, Swallow developed a reputation for flamboyant styling and relatively accessible prices. Its first significant automobile of its own design was the SS 1, introduced at the 1931 Motor Show, followed by the smaller SS 2. These cars used Standard-supplied engines and chassis with bodies styled and finished by Swallow. Their appearance attracted attention, although contemporary observers sometimes regarded them as stronger in presentation than performance. The corporate structure changed materially in the middle of the 1930s. S. S. Cars Limited acquired the shares of Swallow Coachbuilding Limited in July 1934, and the Swallow company was subsequently liquidated before S. S. Cars issued shares to the public in January 1935. Walmsley sold his remaining interest in January 1935, leaving Lyons in effective control. The company also established a subsidiary, Swallow Coachbuilding Co. (1935) Limited, to continue sidecar production. In 1935 the company moved decisively toward higher-performance automobiles. Engineer William Heynes and engine specialist Harry Weslake helped develop an overhead-valve cylinder head for the Standard-derived six-cylinder engine. The resulting SS Jaguar saloon was unveiled in September 1935 and combined a formal, highly styled body with substantially improved performance and a price below that of many similarly prestigious cars. The Jaguar name was initially used alongside SS, and from September 1935 it appeared on new models, including the SS Jaguar 1½-litre, 2½-litre and later 3½-litre cars. The SS 90, introduced in 1935, was the first production open two-seat sports car in the range, although only 23 were made. It was followed by the SS Jaguar 100, which became the company's best-known pre-war sports car. Available with 2½-litre and 3½-litre six-cylinder engines, the SS Jaguar 100 combined a claimed 100 mph top speed with strong acceleration and became an important predecessor to Jaguar's post-war sports-car identity. SS Cars continued producing saloons, drophead coupés and open sports cars until civilian automobile production stopped in 1940 during the Second World War. In 1938 the company introduced all-steel construction for its saloons and added the 3½-litre engine to the range. After the war, the directors concluded that the SS name was unsuitable because of its associations and possible confusion with other meanings. At a general meeting on 23 March 1945, shareholders approved the change of the company's name to Jaguar Cars Limited. The post-war cars were sold simply as Jaguars, making SS Cars the direct corporate predecessor of Jaguar Cars and the Jaguar marque.
History
The business that became SS Cars began in 1922 when William Lyons and William Walmsley established the Swallow Sidecar Company in Blackpool. Its first products were fashionable motorcycle sidecars. Swallow progressively expanded into automobile coachbuilding, advertising two-seat bodies for Austin and Morris chassis in 1927 and later working with Standard, Fiat and Wolseley components. During the winter of 1928–1929, the operation moved in stages from Blackpool to a former munitions facility at Foleshill in Coventry. The relocation placed the company near major British vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. Lyons concentrated on styling and commercial presentation, while the company relied on externally supplied chassis and engines for its early cars. A 1929 prototype known as the First SS reflected the ambition to create a distinctive sports car, although Swallow continued producing bodies for several makes while its own automobile programme developed. At the 1931 Motor Show, Swallow introduced the SS 1 and displayed a prototype, with the smaller SS 2 following as part of the range. The SS 1 used a six-cylinder side-valve engine in 2-litre or 2½-litre form, while the SS 2 used a smaller four-cylinder engine. Coupé and tourer bodies were initially offered, and a saloon joined the range in 1934. The cars were noted for their appearance and value, but performance limitations led Lyons to strengthen the company's engineering capability. S. S. Cars Limited acquired Swallow Coachbuilding Limited on 31 July 1934. Swallow was then liquidated before S. S. Cars issued shares publicly in January 1935. Walmsley sold his shareholding in January 1935, leaving Lyons with effective control. The company remained closely tied to the Standard Motor Company, which supplied the basic chassis and engines. William Heynes became chief engineer, and Harry Weslake worked on improving the side-valve engine through a new overhead-valve cylinder head manufactured by Standard. The first SS 90 open sports car appeared in March 1935. It used a shortened SS 1 chassis and a 2½-litre six-cylinder engine, with only 23 examples produced. More important commercially was the SS Jaguar saloon, introduced to dealers and the press in September 1935. Its Weslake-developed engine produced substantially more power than the earlier unit, while the car retained the long, elegant body styling associated with Lyons. The combination of visual prestige, performance and moderate pricing established the Jaguar name as a central part of the business. The range expanded through the late 1930s. The SS Jaguar 100 became the principal open sports model, with 2½-litre and 3½-litre versions. Four-door sports saloons and two-door drophead coupés were sold as 1½-litre, 2½-litre and, from 1938, 3½-litre models. In 1938, saloon construction moved from traditional wood-framed coachbuilding to all-steel bodies. The 1½-litre car used a shorter chassis and a newer overhead-valve engine, while the larger models shared a common basic body and chassis design. The company also maintained a sidecar business through Swallow Coachbuilding Co. (1935) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary formed in 1935. This subsidiary was later sold to the Helliwell Group in January 1946 and continued sidecar production for a period after the main company had adopted the Jaguar name. Automobile production ended in 1940 as wartime conditions interrupted civilian manufacturing. After the war, the company chose to abandon the SS designation. At a general meeting on 23 March 1945, shareholders approved the name Jaguar Cars Limited. William Lyons stated that Jaguar was more distinctive and less likely to be confused with a foreign name or other association. Post-war cars were marketed simply as Jaguars, so SS Cars is best understood as the pre-1945 corporate and product predecessor of Jaguar Cars rather than as a continuing independent marque.
- 1946
Swallow sidecar subsidiary sold
[1]Swallow Coachbuilding Company (1935) Limited is sold by Jaguar Cars to the Helliwell Group.
- 1945
Company renamed Jaguar Cars Limited
[1]Shareholders approve the corporate name change on 23 March 1945, formally ending SS Cars as the operating identity.
- 1940
Civilian car production ends
[1]Automobile production stops during the Second World War.
- 1938
All-steel saloon construction adopted
[1]Saloon production moves from coachbuilt wood-framed construction to all-steel bodies, and a 3½-litre model is added.
- 1936
SS Jaguar 100 enters production
[1]The SS Jaguar 100 becomes the company's signature high-performance open sports car.
- 1935
SS Jaguar range launched
[1]The Jaguar name begins appearing on new models, including the improved SS Jaguar saloon range.
- 1935
SS 90 sports car introduced
[1]The first production open two-seat sports car in the range is introduced; 23 are produced.
- 1934
S. S. Cars Limited acquires Swallow Coachbuilding Limited
[1]The corporate owner of the business acquires Swallow Coachbuilding Limited on 31 July 1934.
- 1931
SS 1 introduced
[1]Swallow launches the SS 1 at the Motor Show and displays a prototype, establishing its own automobile range.
- 1929
First SS sports-car prototype
[1]A streamlined open two-seater is developed with links to Standard, foreshadowing the company's own sports cars.
Products and positioning
Distinctively styled British cars offering an appearance and level of performance associated with expensive sporting automobiles at comparatively moderate prices.
Sports saloon and coupé · 1931
SS 1
Introduced in 1931, the SS 1 was one of the first automobiles developed under the SS identity. It used a Standard-supplied six-cylinder side-valve engine in 2-litre or 2½-litre form and was offered in coupé, tourer and later saloon configurations. Its long, low body and comparatively low price established the styling-led formula that defined the company during the 1930s.
Small sports car and saloon · 1932
SS 2
The SS 2 was the smaller four-cylinder companion to the SS 1. It initially used a 1-litre side-valve engine, with larger 1,343 cc and 1,608 cc versions later available. The model gave SS Cars an entry point below its six-cylinder cars while retaining the distinctive body styling and coachbuilt presentation associated with the brand.
Open two-seat sports car · 1935
SS Jaguar 90
Introduced in March 1935, the SS 90 was built on a shortened SS 1 chassis and used a 2½-litre six-cylinder engine. Its name referred to the claimed 90 mph top speed. Production was highly limited, with 23 examples made, but the car provided an important bridge between the earlier SS range and the more successful SS Jaguar 100.
Open two-seat sports car · 1936
SS Jaguar 100
The SS Jaguar 100 was the company's best-known pre-war sports car. Produced from 1936, it used six-cylinder engines of 2½-litre and 3½-litre capacity and was advertised with a 100 mph top speed. Its combination of compact proportions, strong acceleration and sporting styling made it an important ancestor of Jaguar's later sports cars. Production totals were 198 for the 2½-litre version and 116 for the 3½-litre version.
Sports saloon and drophead coupé · 1935
SS Jaguar saloon range
The saloon range introduced from 1935 included 1½-litre four-cylinder, 2½-litre six-cylinder and, from 1938, 3½-litre six-cylinder models. The cars combined formal four-door bodies or drophead coupé layouts with Standard-derived mechanical components and increasingly sophisticated engine development. From 1938, saloon bodies adopted all-steel construction.
Brand decisions
1945
Corporate renaming to Jaguar Cars LimitedStrategyBackground
After the war, the SS designation was considered unsuitable because it could be confused with other associations and did not provide a distinctive international identity.
Action taken
Shareholders approved changing the company's name from S. S. Cars Limited to Jaguar Cars Limited on 23 March 1945.
Aftermath
Post-war automobiles were marketed as Jaguars, and SS Cars ceased to exist as the company's public operating identity.
1938
Adoption of all-steel saloon bodiesGeneration changeBackground
The company was modernizing its saloon range and broadening engine choices while continuing to compete on style and value.
Action taken
Saloon and drophead production moved from traditional wood-framed coachbuilt bodies to all-steel construction.
Aftermath
The change aligned the range more closely with modern mass-production methods before wartime production ended.
1935
Shift toward the Jaguar identityStrategyBackground
The company wanted to move beyond criticism that its earlier cars emphasized styling more than performance and to establish a more distinctive identity for its improved vehicles.
Action taken
SS Cars introduced the Jaguar name on new models from September 1935 while improving engine performance through work by William Heynes and Harry Weslake.
Aftermath
Jaguar became the defining product identity and later replaced SS Cars as the corporate name.
Sources1 sources
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