Jaguar XE SV Project 8 is here
SUPERCAR: POWERFUL, AGILE AND HIGH PERFORMANCE
Available as either a four-seater sedan or lightweight two-seat Track Pack.
Hand-assembly of the new Jaguar XE SV Project 8 – the most powerful, agile and extreme performance Jaguar road car ever – begins in June 2018.
The first examples of Project 8, a limited-edition sports sedan with genuine supercar performance, will be delivered to performance driving enthusiasts this summer.
The All-Wheel Drive 441kW 5.0-litre Supercharged V8 petrol Project 8, which has a claimed top speed of 322km/h and is said to accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 3.7 seconds, set a new four-door production car record around the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany last year – the ‘gold’ standard for all-round high performance. Its best lap of 7 min 21.23 sec was quicker than many supercars. It’s available either as a four-seater or in lightweight two-seat Track Pack configuration, which also boosts torsional rigidity by 27% over the four-seat version (Track Pack is a market-dependent option at extra cost).
Fundamental to the performance of the most track-focused SV vehicle ever produced, Project 8 features a number of modifications to the award-winning XE’s lightweight aluminium bodywork, including: carbon fibre bumper with enhanced cooling ducts, vented carbon fibre bonnet, flared wheel arches covering 20-inch forged aluminium alloy wheels, adjustable front splitter, flat underbody, rear carbon fibre bumper with integrated diffuser, and an adjustable rear aerodynamic wing.
These developments ensure that Project 8 is the lightest and most purposeful V8 sedan in the Jaguar range.
To ensure optimum performance on road or track, Project 8 enhances the XE’s double-wishbone front and Integral Link rear suspension with redesigned front uprights, two-piece upper wishbones, plus motorsport-derived ball joints and twin springs (height-adjustable for a 15mm lower ride on track).
It also debuts a new carbon ceramic braking system, an industry-first use of F1-style silicon nitride ceramic wheel bearings on a road car and incorporates a rear electronic active differential with oil cooler – a first for XE.
To maximise traction, Project 8 utilises a re-calibrated version of Jaguar’s eight-speed quickshift all-wheel drive system. Capable of changing gear in just 200 milliseconds, and shifting non-sequentially, it helps deliver outstanding precision and confidence with a strong torque-rich shift quality unique to this car.
For serious circuit use, specifying the optional Track Pack saves 12.2kg by replacing the magnesium-framed front performance seats with lightweight front carbon fibre racing seats. Additional four-point harnesses offer ultimate security, and a fire extinguisher system is fitted.
The rear seats and seatbelts are removed for Track Pack specification, replaced by a Project 8-branded carpeted panel and a harness retention hoop.
Project 8 is the second collector’s edition Jaguar after the 2014 F-Type Project 7. Deliveries begin this summer and all Project 8s will be built in lefthand drive configuration only.