A superbly researched and written study of the privateer Scottish team that secured Le Mans glory in 1956 and 1957. Readable, well illustrated and intriguing. Highly recommended for anyone in Jaguar’s 1950s motor racing history.

Published by PJ Publishing at £60.00 – available from the Club for special price of £49.95 plus £7.50 UK postage & packing (overseas – please ask). Also available, as a leather-bound edition in slip case, carrying the famous Ecurie Ecosse badge in chrome and enamel. This edition is signed by the author and limited to 150 copies, each individually numbered. Price £150.00 plus P&P.

The new Jaguar XF collected the prestigious 'Design Award' at the Autocar Awards 2007 (The Royal Horticultural Halls in London, 12 November).

Collecting the award, Ian Callum, Jaguar's design director, remarked: "This is the first time Jaguar has won this highly respected Autocar award for a production car and I'm absolutely thrilled it has been given to the new XF. It's wonderful to receive recognition for our efforts within the industry and from our ultimate critics – the motoring media."

Phil Hill was the first American to win the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship: an honour that, to date, has only been equalled by Mario Andretti. His career, which spanned two decades, was marked by some remarkable trinities; he won the Le Mans 24 Hours (three times), the 12 hours of Sebring (three times) and the Argentine 1000 Km (three times). In addition he won the Grand Prix of Italy twice, the Belgian Grand Prix and the main event at the first Pebble Beach (then a circuit) in 1950.

He will be greatly missed.

We are delighted to welcome Alexandre Holis as our new Greek Representative (contact details p.39 of Issue 133 XK Gazette).

Alexandre has been involved with classic cars for many years and (with his wife Aza) has participated in, and organised, numerous rallies and events.

He looks forward to putting together some exciting activities for XK Club Members.

After 11 years, Julie Porter is withdrawing from an active involvement with the Jaguar XK Club. We would like to thank her for all her hard work with the Club’s highly successful events programme which, over the last decade, has included the XK60 Diamond Tour, plus tours to France, Switzerland and, most memorably, to St Petersburg. We will all miss her considerable energy, humour and dynamism.

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Remarkably, Jaguar finished 2008 with sales of more than 65,000 cars – an increase of 8% over 2007.

MD Mike O’Driscoll commented, “Despite the challenging economic conditions, Jaguar made great progress last year. We introduced the all-new, award-winning Jaguar XF – voted ‘Car of the Year’ by two major UK magazines, and winner of more than 30 commendations around the world – which has attracted a huge number of new customers to Jaguar.

“Our cars are sold in more than 60 countries around the world and we’re proud of our success as a major exporter – our sales were up by more than 50% in Russia, 35% in the Middle East and 25% in China.

He continues: “We’ve started 2009 with the introduction of advanced new generation petrol and diesel engines that set new benchmarks in terms of power, economy and efficiency, including a new diesel for the XF that offers a marked improvement in CO2 and fuel economy performance. Our cars meet the challenges of the modern world and the needs of today’s consumers – and they’re also true to the Jaguar philosophy of creating beautiful fast cars.

“We believe the new generation of intelligently designed, technically advanced Jaguars represent the very best sporting cars on the road today.”

MWS has announced 5.5x16in polished aluminium rim wire wheels with XK-style highly polished stainless steel centres to suit XK 120/140/150. The wheels are manufactured in the UK and can be made with 60 or 72 highly polished stainless steel spokes and nipples.

The recommended tyre is the 600x16 Blockley. Prices are: Retail, £750.00, Trade £690.00 or with Blockley tyre fitted, Retail £947.78, Trade £824.79, excluding VAT & delivery.

MWS’s in-house manufacturing facility can also restore and refurbish alloy rim wire wheels to original specifications: prices on inspection. Contact MWS on +44(0)1753 549360 or via www.mwsint.com.

Many people are aware, but not all, so this bears repeating. The internet is a wonderful tool, but it is also rife with fraud and scams. So, if you see a gorgeous XK advertised on a website at a price way below its true worth, often with a story carefully contrived to make you think the vendor may not know its value or may be too desperate to sell, beware! It is extremely unlikely that the ‘vendor’ has the car at all or has ever seen it – he has almost certainly obtained photographs via the internet (probably from a past legitimate advert for the car) and he is probably not in the UK (or wherever he claims to be) at all. He may have a UK mobile phone, which may well be stolen, and in most cases he is actually in Nigeria.

The trick is to tell you that you can’t see the car for two weeks, that hundreds of people are interested but that if you send a deposit (or even the full amount) he will keep it for you. Of course, you will never see the money again – and he will probably collect from quite a few hopeful buyers. The police are not interested because there is nothing they can do – the ‘vendor’ always turns out to be in a third world country where they can’t touch them. CAVEAT EMPTOR!!

If you do want to pursue, do so with the utmost caution. First demand details such as chassis, engine, gearbox numbers and registration details – chances are he hasn’t the faintest idea what they are – and ask for more photos, including specific items...

If you have had a car stolen – or a bad experience online – let us know, so that we can warn other members. Alternatively, we would also like to here from you if you have had a good online experience or if you have any online buying tips.  Contact: abigail@xkclub.com with your stories.