Just how quick is the new 600hp, £149,995 Jaguar XE SV Project 8 supersaloon, we’ve long been waiting to discover. Very quick, it seems: it’s officially been revealed as – literally – the fastest four-door production-spec saloon ever to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
The time? Seven minutes 21.23 seconds, fully 11 seconds faster than the previous four-door saloon record holder. Jaguar points out with relish it’s also faster than many famed supercars and even the odd hypercar. Here are five cars the new XE SV Project 8 will beat around the Nürburgring:
- Ferrari 488 GTB
- Ferrari Enzo
- Pagani Zonda F Clubsport
- Porsche Carrera GT
- Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series
The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is the car Jaguar’s snared the record from, which set a 7min 32sec time in 2015. The Project 8 betters its top speed and acceleration times too, with a cool 3.3sec 0-60mph time, and a claimed 200mph top speed.
SVO director Mark Stanton has led the design and engineering of the mighty new XE Project 8. His team’s mission was “to create the most track-focused road-legal Jaguar in history – not only the fastest, but also the most agile.”
There’s thus not much left from a standard XE once the SVO team had finished with it: “only the roof and front door skins of Project 8’s body are carried-over unaltered from XE and 75 per cent of its mechanical hardware is new. This astonishing Nürburgring Nordschleife record validates the success of such extensive changes.”
SVO MD John Edwards added: The Nürburgring Nordschleife record underlines our commitment to deliver the most extreme Jaguar ever to Project 8 clients, who will soon experience this sensational sedan for themselves.”
Fancy one? Be quick, because Jaguar’s only making 300 – and all of them will be sold in left-hand-drive. If neither that, nor the £150k price, isn’t a barrier to UK buyers, register your interest at a special Project 8 hub, and cross your fingers you’re among the lucky few.