Jaguar has officially revealed the XE SV Project 8! Take a look at the details…

Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations has created what it calls “the pinnacle of performance sedans” to rival the likes of potent machinery such as the BMW M3, Mercedes-AMG C63 S and the Alfa Romeo Giulia QV. It’s called the XE SV Project 8 and it means business, on paper that is…

JLR Special Vehicle Operations boss, John Edwards, said “SVO's raison d'être is to produce halo vehicles that push the boundaries in terms of luxury, performance and all-terrain capability. Project 8 is a great example of what happens when enthusiastic designers, engineers and manufacturing specialists are given the opportunity to create an extreme performance sports car without compromise."

Engine power

Only 300 examples will be built and all will be left-hand drive so you won't see the XE SV Project 8 in South Africa.

The XE SV Project packs a mean punch thanks to its supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine that produces 441 kW and 800 Nm of torque. The engine is paired with an 8-speed Quickshift transmission, enabling it to accelerate from zero to 100 kph in an eye-watering 3.3 seconds before clocking off a top speed of 321 kph. Chew on that for a while…

The revised suspension has stiffer spring as well as manually adjustable Continuously Variable Dampers, which lower the ride height by 15 mm for track application. All-wheel drive ensures maximum traction and it’s equipped with an Electronic Active Differential. It’s also the first time that a road car has been fitted with F1-inspired silicon nitride ceramic wheel bearings for the carbon ceramic brakes.

Key styling features

In terms of styling, the XE SV Project 8 wears a carbon fibre front bumper, carbon fibre bonnet and a adjustable front splitter. Aerodynamics are aided by a flat underbody panel and a purposeful rear diffuser. The rear bumper, you guessed it, is made of carbon fibre too… This performance beast rides on 20-inch forged aluminium wheels and is also equipped with an adjustable rear wing.

The XE SV Project 8 can either be a 4-seater or strictly a 2-seat track car complete with a roll cage with the optional Track Pack.

The interior benefits from an Alcantara-wrapped sports steering wheel and gloss carbon fibre trim elements. The XE SV Project 8 comes with seating for 4 as standard but a 2-seat Track Pack can be specified which includes 2 front carbon fibre racing seats with 4-point harnesses and a roll cage.

Only 300 examples of the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 will be built and all examples will be left-hand drive, which sadly means that it won’t be available in South Africa. In terms of cost, the XE SV Project 8 is priced at approximately R2.5 million.

Watch the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 in action in the video below!

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