Jaguar XE SV Project 8 breaks cover

Behold the most powerful Jaguar road car ever – the XE SV Project 8.  Tuned by the in-house SVO performance, the XE SV Project 8 is limited to just 300 units.

The engine which puts out ‘supercar performance from Jaguar’s most compact four-door sedan’ is a highly tuned supercharged 5.0-litre V8 which also does duty in the mad F-Type SVR. But here, the power goes up from 567bhp to a whopping 592bhp. The raw power is sent to all four wheels channelled through a Quickshift eight-speed transmission. 

Accelerating to 100kmph from standstill in mere 3.3seconds, the XE SV Project 8 becomes the fastest accelerating Jaguar till date. The super sedan will go on to a top speed of 321kmph. The carmaker’s special Titanium Variable Active Exhaust system along with extensive use of carbon fibre further helps the cause of the Project 8.

The SVO team went bonkers with the track focused XE SV Project 8. There are ´purposeful modifications´ such as the new aggressive bumper upfront which now houses enhanced cooling ducts. The carbon-fibre bonnet and adjustable front splitters show the performance intentions of the Project 8. The XE SV boasts of a flat underbody with carbon fibre diffuser at the back and a large adjustable rear wing, all helping with better airflow. The flared wheel arches tuck the 20-inch aluminium alloy wheels. 

Although exact figures haven´t been divulged yet, the carmaker asserts that the Project 8 is the lightest V8 sedan in its range. It sits 15mm lower thanks to adjustable continuously variable dampers with stiffer suspension for track use. The carbon ceramic brakes make debut for JLR, whereas the Project 8 becomes the first road car to use a Formula 1-style silicon nitride ceramic wheel bearings. An Electronic Active Differential (EAD) at the rear is also new for the XE SV. The Project 8 is also the first Jaguar to feature a dedicated Track Mode, which alters the driveline and stability control systems for circuit use.  

The interior gets Alcantara and gloss carbon fibre treatment. There is a standard variant which gets four seats, while the optional two-seat Track Pack gets lightweight racing seats made of carbon fibre, a four-point racing harness and a half roll-cage. There’s a 10.2-inch infotainment system with sat-nav, while the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster features stopwatch and g-meter for track use.

The Coventry-based car maker has put a price tag of £149,995 in the UK for the Project 8 in the UK. It will make its debut at the upcoming 2017 Goodwood FOS this weekend. The Project 8 becomes the first car to be completely hand-assembled by SVO’s expert craftsmen at the all-new SVO Technical Centre in Warwickshire, UK.