The Jaguar XE SV Project 8 has posted the fastest lap time ever for a production sedan around the Nurburgring, recording a time of 7 minutes and 21.23 seconds.
The previous record was set by the Alfa Romeo Guilia Quadrafoglio earlier this year, but Jaguar's new track-focused four-door managed to shave over 11 seconds off the Italian sedan's laptime.
At the heart of Jaguar's Project 8 is a 5.0-litre Supercharged V8 which produces 441kW of power, propelling the four-door sedan from 0 – 100km/h in 3.3 seconds and hitting 321km/h flat out.
To get all that power to the ground, Jaguar has fitted an all-wheel-drive system and a motorsport-derived aerodynamics package with adjustable front splitter and rear wing.
“The SVO design and engineering team’s mission was to create the most track-focused road-legal Jaguar in history – not only the fastest, but also the most agile," said SVO director, Mark Stanton.
"As a result, 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 Nurburgring Nordschleife record validates the success of such extensive changes.”
Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations managing director, John Edwards, said SVO aims to push boundaries of performance.
The Nurburgring 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,” said Edwards.
Only 300 Jaguar XE SV Project 8 sedans will be built, priced at £149,995 (NZ$264,000) in the UK.
