Jaguar Finalizes XE SV Project 8, Prepares To Battle The Porsche GT3

The world of fast sedans is about to get a whole lot quicker, as the Cat Badge is gearing up to release its highly impressive XE SV Project 8. With production set to kick off this summer, this limited-run street-legal track terror is framed as a “Porsche GT3 with four doors.”

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The Full Story

Just last year at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Jag dropped the 562-horsepower bomb that is the XE SV Project 8. Built by hand in-house by Jag’s go-faster division, Special Vehicle Operations (SVO), the Project 8 looks to be the one of the most extreme street-legal performance machine Jag has ever produced.

Interestingly, the Brits are calling it a “Porsche GT3 with four seats,” which is a mighty big claim, if you ask us. Backing the claim is a ‘Ring time of 7 minutes, 21 seconds, which is slower than Stuttgart’s run of 7 minutes, 12 seconds in the 991.2 911 GT3 last May. That said, Jag says the most recent round of improvements should chip some time off the top.

Indeed, no expense was spared and no compromise was made in the creation of this outrageous sedan. It brings tons of unique content and features to play, with a host of top-tier motorsport tech throughout.

Outside is a plethora of carbon fiber body panels, with just a few aluminum carryovers from the standard model. Highlights include massively flared wheel arches, an adjustable rear wing, a rear diffuser element, and a flat underbody. The front splitter will also extend outwards while in track mode, with further adjustability offered in the rear.

All told, the sedan makes nearly 269 pounds of downforce at 186 mph.

Getting it going is 562 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque from a supercharged 5.0-liter V-8, which routes to all four wheels via an eight-speed Quickshift transmission. Top speed is rated at 200 mph, while the 0-to-60 mph run is done in 3.4 seconds.

New engine mounts keep the drivetrain tight, while the suspension gets new uprights, plus new upper arms for greater adjustability. Further adjustability can be made to the ride height and camber.

Final details include ceramic wheel bearings and large 15.7-inch carbon ceramic brakes. Making it stick is Michelin’s Pilot Sport Cup 2 tire compound, which is wrapped around 20-inch forged wheels.

Those who really want every tenth possible are encouraged to get theirs with the optional Track Pack, which adds two carbon bucket seats in front, while also deleting the rear seats in favor of a roll cage and adding extra stiffness-making carbon components in the trunk. All told, the Track Pack shaves 27 pounds and improves torsional rigidity by 27 percent.

In the year since its debut at Goodwood, Jag has been busy adding final touches to the machine. “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,” said Project 8 Vehicle Dynamics Manager, David Pook. “And we’ve done just that. The springs have got stiffer and so have the engine mounts. The suspension arm bushes have changed. The brakes have been refined for the exact pedal feel and performance we want. This has all been done to make the car even more responsive and to handle even better.”

Jag also adjusted the engine software to keep the powerplant as efficient and powerful as possible. “It’s certainly even faster, better handling and more responsive than it was six months ago,” Pook added.

What’s more, this is the first Jag to come with a Track Mode, which sets the spec for the drivetrain, stability control, throttle response, steering system, and dampers, making everything tighter and sharper for apex duty.

Each example of the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 will be hand-built at the SVO Technical Center in Coventry. Each will carry a price tag of $187,500.

If you’re still clamoring for more on this impressive four-door, make sure to check out the development video below: