What's all this about?

Remember the announcement of the madcap Jaguar XE SV Project 8 supersaloon in recent months? Well, it's only gone and blasted around the Nurburgring Nordschleife in the fastest-ever time for a production-intent specification four-door saloon.

How quick has it gone?

The 600hp wildcat managed to set a time of 7 minutes 21.23 seconds around the 12.9-mile Green Hell, knocking 11 seconds from the previous best time. As it can do 0-60mph in 3.3 seconds and run on to 200mph, perhaps its scorching track performance shouldn't be such a surprise...

Presumably there are some exultant quotes from the people behind the Project 8?

Indeed there are, as it's a product of the Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) wing of Jaguar Land Rover. So Mark Stanton, SVO's jubilant director, said: "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. 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."

And is there any more from their side?

Yes, John Edwards, Jaguar Land Rover's Special Operations managing director, added: "SVO exists to push the boundaries of performance, luxury and all-terrain capability. The hand-assembled XE SV Project 8 takes that principle to the limit, extracting supercar-beating performance from Jaguar's most compact four-door sedan. 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."

Well, that's that, then. Anyway, am I imagining things, or is this a limited-edition car?

It is indeed. Just 300 units of the XE SV Project 8 will be sold worldwide and if you want one of the UK's allocation, it'll cost you a mere £149,995. Which kind of puts a BMW M3 into perspective, doesn't it?

It does so. Can I watch the SV Project 8's record lap?

You most certainly can, right here.

Matt Robinson - 29 Nov 2017