Log in / RegisterWe’re quite spoilt in these modern days of having full on digital photography with the best lenses and all the gobbins. But back in the 1950’s & 1960’s car manufacturers preferred to employ artists to create drawings of their cars, which often gave them the opportunity to add a little artist’s licence and make either cars look sleeker or even make the passengers look smaller so it appears the car had lots more room !
So we thought we’d share some of the Jaguar adverts from our collection.
As now, advertising agencies grew by their successful campaigns and became famous by the success of campaigns. Again as now, it was essential to come up with a wonderful phrase or ‘strapline’, and the ad agency for Jaguar Cars of Coventry came up with the famous ‘Grace, Space & Pace’ ! It very simply summed up what Jaguar cars of their day had to offer. Here we see it being applied below in this fabulous advert from 1951 for the Jaguar MkVII. The car looks more sleek and suggests successful owners that have driven across the Continent to the South of France, possibly even to Nice itself.
By 1958,the Mk1 had been available for 3 years and this lovely drawing of an example in British Racing Green shows the car off nicely. Did the passengers own the castle or were they there a visitors paying their 2/6 to see around ! Jaguar creating an air of mystery !
Our next drawing from 1958 is very interesting as it shows a Mk1 leaving a private airfield, the passengers probably just flying off to France and back for some duty free !
But compare it to this advert from 1961 for the Mk2 ! Get the artist to change a few details and Hey Presto ! Move the front lights to the top of the wing, add on the indicators in their place and change the roofline ! Even the passengers look older in the Mk2 !
Here’s another Mk2 speeding along a main A road back in 1960.
Then with first stretches of the M1 Motorway being opened in November 1959, what better than to show our businessman heading out on the same motorway ! Looks like there’s another Jaguar on the opposite of the motorway. Must be early days for the M1 as there aren’t any central crash barriers, just grass !
Now looking at the big cats, we have this MkIX from 1958, the year it was launched, showing a super looking two tone paint scheme.
Here’s the MkIX again but from 1959, again featuring another Jag in the background.
In 1961 the Mk10 or MkX came along and in this 1962 drawing, the artist has made it look lower and a little less chubby !
From 1963, this Mk10 is made to look like a big car, just eating up the A roads.
And for our final drawing is this great looking E Type Coupe from 1964, making you just want to go and buy one !
Hope you enjoyed the article !