There is something about sedans that yield brutal power. They are simply irresistible. Jaguar already knew this, making high-performance R-versions of their sedans. With Project 8 they go even beyond the performance potential of those cars, basically creating a road legal race car for you…..and your family!
To create the Project 8, Jaguar’s Special Vehicles Operations took the XE as a base, yet reworked it extensively. The supercharged 5.0-liter V8 now produces a monstrous 592 horse power, enough to make the Project 8 accelerate from 0-60 mph in a mere 3.3 seconds, making it the fastest accelerating Jaguar to date! Top speed is set at over 200 mph.
Of course, this means that the XE had to be reworked significantly. It got a new air-intake system, reworked body and suspension, titanium exhaust, and torque-vectoring rear differential among other. Ironically the original ZF eight-speed automatic that you can find in the regular XE has no problem handling the power, and therefore remained in the car, only now with more aggressive software to match the nature of the car, and the potential of the engine. It is also fitted with all-wheel drive, but not to worry, as the majority of the power will be directed to the rear wheels.
Although the Project 8 features widened wheel arches and a slightly more aggressive styled front fascia, the car still looks rather modest given its potential, especially when you pick a more subdued color. However, the large rear wing gives away the true nature of the car and is there for more than just cosmetic reasons, its downforce keeping the car stable, especially at high speeds.
What is perhaps most extraordinary about the Project 8 is that Jaguar deliberately emphasized that it is a four-door sedan, and therefore a rather practical car. They do so with a sense of humor, by having large tags sewn into the back seat, identifying the Isofix attachment points for your child’s car seat!
For those interested in the Project 8, Jaguar will only make 300 of them, and the price is expected to be announced soon.
