Jaguar XE SV Project 8 is the Fastest Sedan at Laguna Seca
The wild Jaguar XE SV Project 8 now holds the title of fastest production sedan around WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.
In the hands of professional racing driver and Motor Trend journalist Randy Pobst, the 592 hp XE SV Project 8 lapped Laguna Seca in just 1:37.54. The Jag was a full second faster than the previous four-door record holder, the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V, which had an extra 58 hp to work with.
Just 300 examples of the Project 8 will be built, with only a handful of those coming to North America. All will feature Jag’s 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine making 592 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, which is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Other enhancements include a full aero kit with a huge rear wing, completely revised suspension, carbon ceramic brakes and lightweight wheels shod in sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. Jag says the sedan will accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.4s and top out at a supercar-rivaling 200 mph.
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The Project 8 also set a blistering time of 7:21.23 around the Nurburgring Nordschleife late last year, making it the fastest sedan to lap the daunting German circuit by a considerable margin.
You can check out the onboard video from Pobst’s Project 8 Laguna Seca record embedded below. The Jaguar XE SV Project 8 will go on sale in the US shortly at an eye-watering starting price of $187,000. First deliveries will commence before the end of the year.
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Discuss this story on our Jaguar XE Forum.
Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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pretty impressive.