JAGUAR is using the XE saloon as the basis for what it says will be the most powerful road legal model in the company's history.
Jaguar Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations - or SVO - division has been let loose on the XE and taken the eminently sensible decision to drop a 592bhp 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine under its bonnet.
The car is getting one of Jaguar's 'Project' nameplates, signalling its exclusivity and the extreme nature of its performance, and will be limited to just 300 units.
The Project 8, as it is called, will "offer supercar performance and dynamics" in a saloon, says the company, and is "the most powerful, agile and extreme performance Jaguar".
A prototype has been undergoing testing at the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
An F-Type was the basis of Jaguar's 'Project 7' in 2014 and the Project 8 will be the second such 'collectors' edition' vehicle from SVO.
John Edwards, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations said: "The time is right for SVO to produce the most extreme performance road car in the history of Jaguar.
"The SVO team is possessed by the spirit of performance and committed to creating the most thrilling driving experience imaginable.
"Our clients worldwide were thrilled by the F-Type Project 7.
"The new XE SV Project 8 takes aerodynamics and performance engineering to another level - it is conceived for enthusiasts and the most discerning collectors.
"The price for such an extreme performance sports car available in strictly limited numbers will reflect that."
More details will be revealed at the end of June.
