[2] The company manufactured stylish sidecars, but after 1927 made increasing numbers of low cost coach-built cars, especially the Austin Seven Swallow which the Blackpool factory produced at the rate of 12 per week.

Armstrong Siddeley allowed Lyons to use the Jaguar name from their successful aircraft engine range, such was the camaraderie of the car industry at the time.

The XK engine was completed in 1948 and launched in a (supposedly) one-off concept sports car to help draw attention to it.

This was remarkable, as Sir William was not a trained engineer, and designed primarily using full scale 3-D mockups, which were continually adjusted by craftsmen working under his instructions.

William Heynes, Claude Baily, Walter Hassan, Tom Jones, and many others all contributed to create a strong engineering team.

Although he had no direct involvement with its design, allegedly Lyons was shown the finished final prototype of the XJ40 shortly before his death in 1985 and was said to be "approving" of what was the replacement for the first generation XJ6.

Unfortunately the final years of Lyons tenure before he retired as managing director near the end of 1967,[3] while remaining on as chairman, were a constant struggle against impossible odds to retain the identity and independence of his company, not least its engineering department.

John Michael served briefly in REME, and then joined Jaguar as an apprentice but was killed in a road accident in France driving to the 1955 Le Mans 24-hours race.

Sir William and Lady Lyons had an active and contented retirement with their beloved dogs, Sally, Peppie, Buttons.

His wife Greta, Lady Lyons, died the following year; they were both buried in St. John the Baptist churchyard close to their home.