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The BBC reports that Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has announced loans of up to £2.3bn for the UK car industry. Jaguar Land Rover and and others expect to meet with Lord Mandelson on Wednesday to discuss details.

Auto Express fuels the rumours of a new Jaguar supercar, despite denials from Jaguar bosses, with an article about the Jaguar XE. With an all-new aluminum chassis, the 510 hp supercharged engine from the XJ, and a sub 4 second 0-60 time, Auto Express suggests that it will be a rival to the Audi R8.

BBC News reports that the new, state-of-the-art Jaguar Land Rover training facility in Warwick has opened. Combining operations from Gaydon and Castle Bromwich locations, the Technical Academy will train dealer technicians and apprentices.

Jaguar believe that this new facility demonstrates their commitment to the future and reflects the short-term nature of the current difficulties.

BBC News and The Telegraph both report that Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich factory have been shut down for two weeks today, only a week after an extended three-week Christmas break.

The Birmingham Post reports that Jaguar Land Rover employees will vote in two weeks on proposed cutbacks and a pay freeze designed to save another 1800 jobs from oblivion.

Patrick McGoohan has died in Los Angeles, at 80.
Best known as Six in The Prisoner, he previously starred in Danger Man. In 1995 he played the part of King Edward Longshanks in the Mel Gibson film Braveheart.

I am not a number.
I am a free man.

The BBC reports that Jaguar Land Rover announced 450 job losses today because of a severe fall in demand. They plan to shed about 300 managers and a further 150 salaried agency staff.

Managers at the group will not receive bonuses in 2009 and management pay increases have been deferred to Oct. 1 2009 at the earliest.

Andrew English reports in The Telegraph that Jaguar had a treat on the Detroit Auto Show stand - the XFR that recently managed a top speed of 360kph (225.675mph) at the Bonneville salt flats, eclipsing the previous Jaguar XJ220 record of 350kph.

Driver Paul Gentilozzi of Rocketsports Racing, reported only minor aerodynamic and safety modifications to meet the requirements for a Bonneville run, namely a remapped ECU, a modified air intake and exhaust system and revised supercharger settings. No internal engine components were changed and the six-speed automatic transmission was standard, including the gear ratios.

Paul Gentilozzi is quoted as saying:

It’s easy to drive up to 200mph, but at 215mph there’s a
weird feeling where the car goes from noisy to quiet.

We never had any problem with the engine.
We didn’t even check the oil and we beat it up pretty good.

Update : January 15th, 2009 : AutoExpress has a video of the record setting run. It’s a little arty for my tastes, but it does serve as a celebration of a milestone.

The Detroit Auto Show has a pair of new Jaguars on the show floor. The XKR has been seriously updated. The engine in the 2010 XKR is the same direct-injection, supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 seen in the XFR, with 461 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy and carbon emissions remain the same, despite the increased output. Electronically limited to a maximum speed of 155mph, the 0-60mph sprint for the XKR Coupe is reduced from 4.9 to 4.6 seconds.

In the Press Release, Mike O’Driscoll, Managing Director, Jaguar Cars, is quoted:

Built in tradition of great and tourers, with state-of-the-art engineering, aerospace-inspired construction and outstanding driving dynamics, the new XK is the latest in a long line of legendary performance Jaguars.

The full text of the Press Release is reproduced by AutoBlog.

 Channel 4 reports that Jaguar will be introducing a new 4-door coupe styled saloon later this year. Managing Director Mike O’Driscoll is said that:

this takes, we believe, the luxury saloon to new heights in
terms of its technical enhancements

No official details are forthcoming, but Jaguar officials are apparently mentioning the Mercedes-Benz CLS, Porsche Panamera, and Maserati Quattroporte, as competition.

Autocar reports that 2008 Jaguar sales were up 9% in the UK and 8% globally over 2007, in contrast to the total industry results of a drop of -11.3% for the UK. Jaguar’s managing director Mike O’Driscoll is quoted as saying:

We introduced the all-new, award-winning Jaguar XF, and that attracted significant numbers of new customers to the brand.