The Iconic Jaguar Logo and Historic Hood Ornament

There’s few brands as recognizable in the automotive world as Jaguar – not only in the styling of their vehicles, iconic as they are, but in the branding of the unmistakable Jaguar logos and the instantly familiar Jaguar hood ornament as well. Read on to learn more about the Jaguar symbol in its various forms, and come to understand the Jaguar logo history like never before! Test drive a modern Jaguar at Jaguar Akron, and join the legacy yourself!

The Meaning of the Jaguar Logos

The Jaguar name carries a grand reputation, but it wouldn’t be the same without the actual Jaguar representing the brand in visual form, in the Jaguar symbol. But did you know there’s actually two Jaguar logos in production? Why, you may ask? Perhaps the section below will clarify things: 

• The Leaping Jaguar is a sleek silver jaguar cat in mid-leap with a snarl on its face. It was initially introduced as a hood ornament and is now a more two-dimensional badge in silver, metallic gray, and black. It is often found on Jaguar’s exceedingly comfortable SUVs and other luxury focused models.
• The Roaring Jaguar takes on a circular form as a front-facing silver jaguar cat roaring. It is usually seen with a red background and a silver border, but early versions included a gold jaguar with a red background and black border. It is often found on performance-focused Jaguar cars.

Of course, in addition to these two-dimensional logos, there is the Jaguar hood ornament which takes on a three dimensional form. But the Jaguar hood ornament isn’t on modern Jaguar vehicle’s – what’s up with that? Keep reading to find out.

The History of the Jaguar Logo

• 1922 – The Swallow Sidecar Company is founded as a company manufacturing sidecars for motorcycles from a factory in England.
• 1934 – The company is renamed and rebranded as an auto manufacturer–SS Cars Limited.
• 1935 — The SS Jaguar is produced as the first model with the name Jaguar in it. At this time, the logo on these models consisted of a badge with the text “Jaguar” surrounded by the wings and tail of a bird.
• Early 1945 — The SS Cars Limited is renamed as Jaguar Cars Limited to help establish the company as a distinctly British brand, and to avoid any confusion with the Nazi SS military group in the wake of World War II.
• Late 1945 — The famous Leaping Jaguar logo was first introduced on hood ornaments, and its style remained relatively unchanged until the early 2000’s.

Where Did the Jaguar Hood Ornament Go?

A few factors over several decades led to the ultimate removal of hood ornaments from Jaguar cars, and most other manufacturer’s vehicles as well. Below you’ll find a timeline of the events and developments that led to the removal of the Jaguar hood ornament.

• 1968 – A federal seat belt law was passed in the US, leading to a grand change in the way vehicles were designed – flashy things like hood ornaments and fins took a proverbial back seat in the name of aerodynamics and passenger and pedestrian safety.
• 1980’s — Due to the rising fashion trend of hood ornament necklaces worn by popular rappers and trending hip-hop artists of the time, hood ornament theft became prominent. The cost of replacing these parts led to fewer cars being designed with them in the first place.
• 2005 – The European Union, with a heavy influence over European brands like Jaguar, created safety regulations on pedestrian’s behalf, requiring hood ornaments to collapse, bend, or fold away in the event of a frontal collision. Many luxury brands including Jaguar decided to remove the hood ornaments altogether. 

Experience the Jaguar Legacy in Akron

Keep browsing our site to learn more about Jaguar performance, design, and history – or make the short trip from Akron and experience what we have to offer! Browse our new Jaguar models online and even apply for financing from the comfort of your home!