Jaguar XE SV Project 8 beats its own Nurburgring record

- Project 8 development driver Vincent Radermecker cuts 2.9 s off his previous fastest time

- Officially-verified records achieved using off-the-shelf Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres

The Jaguar Special Vehicle Operations-developed XE SV Project 8 has set the fastest Nurburgring Nordschleife lap time for a four-door production car once again. The new record stands at 7 minutes and 18.361 seconds. 

This new officially-verified time on the 20.6 km (12.8-mile) lap is 2.9 seconds faster than Project 8’s previous benchmark set in November 2017 and 7 seconds faster than any other four-door production car has achieved. The model is also the first vehicle to set an official whole lap record in the Nurburgring’s mid-range production car class, lapping the circuit in 7 minutes and 23.164 seconds.

Development driver Vincent Radermecker returned to the German circuit in a production-specification two-seat Track Pack version of Project 8. The car’s height-adjustable twin-spring coil-over suspension was set in ‘track’ ride height, with adjustable front splitter and carbon-fibre rear aerodynamic wing positioned for maximum down-force and stability. To maximise performance and steering precision, for the final record runs, the model was fitted with new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres. 

Powered by the 592bhp version of Jaguar’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine, the all-wheel-drive Project 8 is capable of sprinting from 0-100 kmph in 3.7 seconds, all the way up to a top speed of 320 kmph. The model also features a fully-enclosed flat underbody for enhanced aerodynamics. Production of the limited-edition Project 8 will finish this year.

Speaking on the occasion, Jamal Hameedi, Engineering Director, Jaguar Special Vehicle Operations, said, “The original Nurburgring time set by Jaguar XE SV Project 8 demonstrated the extreme performance envelope of the world’s fastest production sedan, but the SV team is driven by a motorsport mentality and we knew Project 8 could go even faster. This new official record time is a fitting reward for everyone who has played a part in pushing the boundaries for our customers with Project 8.”