1935 SS Cars SS1 Drop Head Coupe

The company we now call Jaguar had its beginnings in 1922 as the Swallow Sidecar Co., which manufactured motorcycle sidecars. Founder Sir William Lyons had greater ambitions, and beginning in 1927 he used his skills to mainly make bodies for the Austin Seven while operating as the Swallow Sidecar & Coachbuilding Co., in Coventry, United Kingdom. To express his styling vision fully, Lyons and the Swallow engineers designed a frame that would accommodate specific coachwork, which would include an engine mounted closer to the cowl and the wheels pushed further to the front. The result was the SS1 riding on a 112-inch wheelbase with an incredibly long hood, powered by the company's 2.5-liter, 20 horsepower (55 HP actual) in-line 6-cylinder engine.

The S.S. 1 debuted at the London Olympia Motor Show in 1931. It was a close-coupled coupe, and the first car that was designed by William Lyons. Revisions arrived in 1933 as Lyons came up with a much-improved radiator design and a new saloon body. He also showed this Drop Head and Airline Coupe designs. With the lower roofline, long bonnet, and sporty design they looked much more expensive than they were in actuality.

The name Jaguar was first used on a 2.5-liter saloon in 1935, the SS Jaguar. Due to the negative connotations of the term SS, the name was faded out and all models became known as simply Jaguars following WWII.

This example was shipped from England to Argentinian tango performer Ada Falcon, via Buenos Aires importer and dealer Ehlert Nash Motors. This rare SS 1 Coupe spent 80 years in Buenos Aires before arriving in the United States. In 2015, it arrived in Miami and has remained in the care of its current owners ever since.

This 'Drophead Coupe' has a rakish and sporty appearance, but was really a value-based proposition in its day, costing less than most competitors.