600PS Jaguar XE SV Project 8 Explained – Video
Legendary Jaguar sports car racers Andy Wallace and Davy Jones joined the Special Vehicle Operations development team at Goodwood Motor Circuit last month, declaring the new Jaguar XE SV Project 8 “absolutely staggering” and “a winner” after testing it on the fast and demanding UK track.
British driver Andy Wallace won the Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race in 1988 driving the Jaguar XJR-9 and was part of Jaguar’s victorious 1988 and 1991 World Sports Car Championship teams. The Goodwood test was the first time he’d driven the all-wheel-drive track-focused Project 8, which features a 600PS supercharged 5.0-litre V8 powertrain.
Project 8 features an all-new Carbon Ceramic Brakes (CCB) system, incorporating the latest technology to deliver consistent pedal feel, fade resistance and longevity under the most demanding conditions. It also uses motorsport-grade Synthetic Racing Fluid (SRF).
American Davy Jones was also a member of both the 1988 and 1991 championship winning Jaguar teams. He won the Daytona 24 Hours in 1990 in an XJR-12 (with Andy Wallace), and finished second at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1991. He later went on to win Le Mans in 1996.
With world-class motorsport technology throughout, Project 8 has carbon fibre panels, adjustable aerodynamics, a unique suspension setup with adjustable ride height and camber, and is the first road car with F1-style ceramic wheel bearings. It’s also the first Jaguar with a dedicated Track Mode, which activates electronic calibration settings tailored to circuit use.
The 200mph* road-legal Project 8 is the world’s fastest four-door sedan, having lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in a record 7min 21.23sec. Final tests are planned for Portimão in Portugal, Motorland Aragón in Spain and Laguna Seca in California, USA. Hand-assembly of no more than 300 cars will begin at Special Vehicle Operations’ Technical Centre in June.
Jaguar XE SV Project 8 is available either as a four-seater or in lightweight two-seat Track Pack configuration (Track Pack is a market-dependent option at extra cost). Project 8 costs from £149,995 in the UK. Deliveries will begin this summer.