Jaguar SS 100
The pre-war SS Jaguar 100 combined an open two-seat body with overhead-valve six-cylinder engines, establishing a sporting identity that Jaguar developed after the war.
Overview
The SS 100, also known as the SS Jaguar 100, was an open two-seat sports car built by SS Cars in Coventry, England. Its recorded production runs span 1936–1939, following introduction in 1935. It belongs to Jaguar’s pre-war model history; the 2½- and 3½-litre versions are engine variants within this model, rather than separate generations. Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust’s model history and chassis register.
Jaguar was then a vehicle name used by SS Cars. The company’s manufacturing base had moved to Foleshill, Coventry, in 1928; Jaguar Cars became the principal operating company in April 1945. The SS 100 therefore predates the post-war corporate identity while forming part of the same manufacturer’s history. JDHT’s archive administrative history.
Development and design
The SS 100 developed the appearance of the short-lived SS 90, replacing its side-valve engine with a more powerful overhead-valve unit. Harry Weslake’s cylinder-head work and twin SU carburettors were central to that improvement. Revised lamps, radiator and badges distinguished the new sports car; its rear treatment included a Le Mans-type fuel tank and an angled spare wheel. JDHT’s SS 100 history.
The low chassis retained the SS 90’s 104-inch wheelbase. A long bonnet and low open body gave the car its recognisable proportions. A closed SS 100 coupé appeared at the 1938 London Motor Show, but remained a prototype: it should not be presented as a regular production body option or a new generation. RM Sotheby’s model and coupé history.
Engines and running gear
Both versions used Standard-derived, overhead-valve straight-six engines with twin SU carburettors. JDHT quotes the following outputs and maximum speeds; these are historical figures, not guarantees for individual surviving cars.
| Version | Power quoted by JDHT | Maximum speed quoted by JDHT |
|---|---|---|
| 2½ Litre | 102 bhp | 94 mph |
| 3½ Litre | 125 bhp | 101 mph |
The larger engine brought performance beyond the 100 mph suggested by the model’s name. JDHT’s engine and performance account.
The running gear was conventional: a four-speed manual gearbox, solid front and live rear axles, semi-elliptic leaf springs and mechanical drum brakes on all four wheels. RM’s record of chassis 18081 also illustrates a surviving car uprated from the smaller engine to 3½-litre specification. Present engine capacity therefore cannot alone establish original build specification. RM Sotheby’s chassis 18081 record.
Production chronology and dating
JDHT’s detailed chassis guide separates calendar production dates from model-year change points:
| Calendar date | Recorded development |
|---|---|
| April 1936 | Start of the listed 2½-litre SS 100 sequence, chassis 18001. |
| October 1937 | Start of the later 2½-litre sequence, chassis 49001. |
| November 1937 | Start of the 3½-litre sequence, chassis 39001. |
| August 1938 | First 1939 model-year cars in both engine sequences. |
| July 1939 | Last 1939 model-year cars and one 1940 model-year example of each capacity. |
These dates explain why “1938 introduction” is often attached to the larger engine even though the register begins its run in late 1937. Likewise, 1940 model year does not mean calendar-year 1940 manufacture. JDHT cautions that its change points are approximate and individual vehicles can differ. JDHT Research Guide 001A.
The Trust’s certificate selector gives the broader range 1936–1941, without explaining the endpoint. This page uses the detailed chassis chronology for manufacture rather than treating that service range as proof of continuous production through 1941. JDHT’s SS model selector.
Markets and individual histories
Later export does not establish a distinct factory market specification. Chassis 39032, for example, was supplied through a Manchester agency in 1938 and moved to New York in 1962. Its engine had already been replaced, and a subsequent restoration replaced the wings. Original delivery market, later country of residence and restored configuration are separate parts of its history. RM Sotheby’s chassis 39032 record.
Competition and legacy
Tommy Wisdom and his wife Elsie competed in the SS 100 BWK 77 in the 1936 International Alpine Trial, earning a Coupe des Glaciers. The car’s competition history helped establish the sporting reputation of the Jaguar name. Its later supercharged engine and twin rear tyres belong to its subsequent development, not standard showroom specification. JDHT’s account of BWK 77.
The post-war XK120 carried Jaguar’s sports-car story forward with a different technical foundation. Introduced in 1948, it used the new twin-overhead-camshaft XK engine and independent front suspension. It was a separate model, rather than an SS 100 facelift. JDHT’s XK120 history.