Jaguar is hunting records and this time not on the Nurburgring. The UK manufacturer is targeting great performances outside Europe, on US soil. Jaguar’s supercar-rivalling XE SV Project 8 has a new track record.
The 600PS, 200mph four-door road-legal sedan lapped the 2.238-mile WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in 1min 37.54sec – almost a second faster than the previous production sedan record – with racing driver Randy Pobst at the wheel.
The most extreme Jaguar yet produced, XE SV Project 8 is a sedan with genuine supercar performance. Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations engineers fine-tuned the car on some of the world’s most thrilling test tracks, including Germany’s famed Nürburgring Nordschleife. Late last year XE SV Project 8 lapped the 12.9-mile circuit in a record 7min 21.23sec.
In order to achieve this performance, the car receives significant aerodynamic and suspension upgrades, including a ‘Track’ mode for maximum downforce and further improvements to the damping, throttle and steering response.
Project 8 is available in two specifications. The standard four-seat model features Jaguar’s latest front Performance seats with magnesium frames, plus a more heavily contoured rear squab to maximise support. The optional two-seat Track Pack includes lightweight front carbon fibre racing seats with four-point harnesses fixed to a harness retention hoop in place of the rear seat.
Project 8 is priced from £149,995 in the UK.
