Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations unit has optimized all aspects of the XE, and the result has become a new special edition for the British carmaker.
Called the XE SV Project 8, it may not have a catchy name, but it is the most powerful road-legal Jaguar ever made. It comes with a 5.0-liter V8 that delivers 600 HP, and the brand explained that it is also the “most extreme performance” model ever offered. The vehicle was designed and engineered by SVO, and the same department will handle the assembly.
The XE’s hottest version has yet to be fully revealed, as the British marque has left us with a set of images showing a camouflaged car, along with a video of it driving on the most demanding track in the world.
We do not have any other technical specifications of the version, but it should be the quickest car in the current lineup, or it could come very close to that level while offering seating for five adults. Regardless of the figures, the most powerful production Jaguar ever made for the road will only be manufactured in 300 units, and each will be hand-assembled.
Project 8 is the second Collectors’ Edition vehicle from the bespoke division of the company, and it comes with enough power to make an M5 blush. The public debut is set for the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed, and we already know that the specs will be announced two days before the event.
Most likely, it will do a run on the famous hill, possibly with a famous driver behind the wheel. A Jaguar test driver could also be selected for this task, but we will know if a famous racer will drive up the hill of Lord March's estate.
Evidently, the price of the Jaguar XE Project 8 will be higher than that of a regular XE, but we do not have any figures yet. Keep in mind that its limited availability will be reflected in the price, so do not imagine that adding “a few grand” to a mid-range XE will get you one of these cars.
Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland. Full profile
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