Jaguar XE SV Project 8 is a 592-horsepower super-sedan
3.3 seconds to 60 mph is no laughing matter.
When Jaguar teased its next limited edition, high-horsepower car -- the XE SV Project 8 -- it was assumed that it would be pretty bonkers. As it turns out, it's even more bonkers than expected.
Jaguar's XE SV Project 8 is a supercar that just so happens to have four doors. The 5.0-liter supercharged V8 under its hood puts out 592 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. Mated to an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive, it'll shove this four-door to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, which is proper supercar territory. It'll hit 200 mph, given enough runway.
While the body might look pretty similar to the standard XE at a glance, there are actually quite a few changes. Both bumpers are made of carbon fiber, as is the hood. The bodywork is wider to accommodate fatter tires for more grip. The front splitter is adjustable, as is the rear wing, and the underbody is as flat as possible to aid aerodynamics.
There's nothing subtle about this car at all.
To further aid handling, Jaguar's given the XE SV Project 8 a height-adjustable suspension setup with active dampers. In order to bring everything to a screeching halt, the super-sedan packs a set of carbon ceramic brakes with racing brake fluid.
The inside is a bit more sedate, offering an interior swathed in Alcantara suede, leather and carbon fiber -- and, of course, a bunch of Project 8 badges. The gauge cluster sports a 12.3-inch digital display, alongside a 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot. Since you can't listen to the car's titanium exhaust all the time, there's a Meridian sound system with 11 speakers available, as well.
In the US, the XE SV Project 8 will only be available in a standard four-seat configuration. Outside our borders, there's an optional two-seat specification with a harness bar, four-point harnesses and carbon-fiber racing seats.
If you are properly insane and want to personalize the living hell out of this car, Jaguar's Bespoke by SVO team will help that happen. Some 10,000 different paint colors are available, as are unique vinyl decals, personalized kick plates and a variety of accent colors for the brakes, aerodynamic bits and mirror caps.
The XE SV Project 8 is the second vehicle from Jaguar Special Vehicle Operation's Collector's Edition, the first being the F-Type Project 7. Only 300 examples of this car will be produced worldwide. Jaguar hasn't yet mentioned pricing, but it's not like you expected it to be cheap, did you?
