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Last November, the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 set a lap time of 7:32.23 on the Nürburgring, making it the fastest four-door production car around the Green Hell. Or, perhaps it would have been had the Project 8 actually started production and been classified as a production car. Jaguar announced Wednesday that it will dust off the Project 8’s assembly line this June, and also says it’s preparing the hot Jag for even faster lap times.
Jaguar’s Special Vehicle Operations division will hand-build just 300 Project 8’s for customers starting this summer at its Technical Center in Warwickshire, England. We already know that the car will pack all-wheel drive and a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 making 592 horsepower, catapulting it to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds and to a top speed of 200 mph.
However, Project 8’s vehicle dynamics engineer David Pook explained that SVO has been tweaking settings and adding new parts to the car, and will continue to do so right up until deliveries begin. “The good thing about building only 300 cars, all hand-made, is that you can keep developing the car right up to the start of production,” Pook said.
Since the Project 8 broke the ‘Ring record, Jaguar has been hard at work stiffening the car’s engine mounts and springs, fine-tuning its brakes, improving throttle and transmission response, and adding motorsport technology like adjustable front and rear aero pieces, race-ready oil cooler, flat underbody, track-optimized Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, and Formula 1 ceramic wheel bearings. In fact, the only body pieces the Project 8 has in common with the normal XE are the door panels and roof.
With these improvements, Jaguar thinks that even its customers, not SVO test drivers nor racing drivers, but actual Project 8 owners will be able to beat that magic 7:23.23 time on the Nürburgring, as well as set lap records on other circuits around the globe.
“With Project 8 we set out to deliver a fast, fun and engaging car that encourages you to explore its performance,” said Mark Stanton, director of special vehicle operations. “Our lap record at the Nürburgring proves we have achieved that, but now we believe we can go faster. We’re continually honing every functional aspect of the car, focusing on marginal gains to make it even quicker yet still accessible to drive.”
The Jaguar XE SV Project 8 can be purchase for about $208,707, and deliveries will start in the summer. Watch this video below to see SVO’s managing director John Edwards explain the new features of the fastest four-door Jag in more detail.
