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Evo Magazine reports on the facelifted XK, due to be shown in November at the Paris Motor Show. There are half a dozen spyshot photos on their website.

As reported here earlier, there are changes to both the front and rear of the car.

I was talking about my early driving experiences with a friend the other day, and remembered with great pleasure my adventures as a 6 or so year-old “driving” my Dad’s horse-drawn baker’s delivery cart back to the yard of Groom’s Bakery. It’s a good job that the horse knew the way!

The first motorised vehicle that I drove was only a few years later when I helped our local United Dairies milkman, Tom, on his rounds and he would let me move the 3-wheeled Wales and Edwards float a hundred yards or so down the road when no-one was looking. A great thrill for a young boy.

Channel4 reports that Jaguar Land Rover have announced the recruitment of up to 600 new employees, including many experienced, degree-educated engineers, though there are also vacancies in purchasing, finance and human resources.
Newly-appointed CEO David Smith said,

This recruitment drive demonstrates Jaguar Land Rover’s confidence in our future. With our new owners, we have entered an exciting era with stunning new models and ambitious technologies. I can’t remember a better time to be part of the British car industry, and certainly it is a brilliant time for Jaguar Land Rover.

The Telegraph reports that agreement was reached after talks between the drivers’ union and Shell’s suppliers.

Latest figures suggest that nearly 600 petrol stations ran dry before deliveries were resumed after the four day strike.

One can only hope that the record prices will be dropping quickly.

BBC News reports that the Foxhayes petrol station at Exwick, near Exeter, has been charging £1.99 a litre for both petrol and diesel in an attempt to conserve stocks.

The combination of a strike by Shell tanker drivers disrupting deliveries and panic buying by drivers has resulted in many petrol stations completely running out of fuel, leading to the high prices.

Even at the favourable current exchange rates, that translates to CDN$3.99 a litre which makes the CDN$1.35 being asked by my local garage today sound like a bargain!

Automotive World [subscription required] reports that Jaguar Land Rover will join ACEA, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, as of July .

Jaguar Land Rover is the UK’s largest automotive employer, and it is important for them to be a part of ACEA, which is concerned with regulatory and other issues in Europe.

leftlane news is just one of many websites that report that Jaguar Land Rover North America are moving. Jaguar managing director Mike O’Driscoll announced that they are consolidating the North American headquarters with customer service and other support operations already in place in New Jersey.

Being in New Jersey rather than California will benefit communications due to time zone differences, and will reduce flying time to the UK by four hours and to Mumbai by eight hours.

Motor Trend reports that the 20th anniversary of Jaguar’s most recent Le Mans victory will be celebrated when the winning car from 1988 will lead a parade lap before the start of the 2008 race this weekend.

1988 winner Jan Lammers will drive the car again this weekend before it returns to its current home at the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust in Coventry.

Jaguar entered five examples of the XJR-9 in Le Mans in 1988, each powered by a 750bhp, 7-litre V12 engine derived from the 5.3-litre unit used in the XJS. Starting sixth on the grid, Jan Lammers, Andy Wallace and Johnny Dumfries won the race after covering 394 laps, or 3313 miles, while other XJR-9s finished fourth and 16th.

Jalopnik reports on spyshots of the 2009 Jaguar XK from KGP Photography.

Visual changes include a new front bumper with outer air inlets below the headlights, a redesigned rear bumper with LED taillights, and a shark-fin antenna on the XK’s deck lid.

No serious engine upgrades are expected, but as reported earlier, Jaguar is expected to apply the XF’s Jaguar Drive transmission interface to the XK.

Bo Diddley died yesterday of heart failure at 79.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in ‘87, he was one of the major influences of Rock ‘n’ Roll, with a distinctive, hypnotic sound.

Buddy Holly used that sound for Not Fade Away, and in the early ’60s many British bands (The Rolling Stones, Mona) , picked up on this and recorded his songs, or wrote songs based on that sound (The Who, Magic Bus) … Phil May even named his band The Pretty Things after a Bo Diddley song, and they played so much Bo Diddley music that they were almost a tribute band in their early days.

Bo Diddley, I’m a Man, Road Runner, Who Do You Love, Pretty Thing …

Doo Doo-Doo Doo, Doo Doo … repeat