Jaguar’s Project 8 Was Good Practice For JRL’s SVO Division

Beyond getting the automotive landscape interested in what they’re doing with the

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by Sergiu Tudose

August 22, 2017 at 11:01

Beyond getting the automotive landscape interested in what they’re doing with the 600 PS (592 HP) Project 8, Jaguar engineers also benefited from having to convert a regular XE into a supercharged V8 beast.

The Jaguar XE was never meant to pack a V8 engine, nor was it designed to hit 200 mph (321 km/h) or go from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 3.3 seconds.

“It’s been a significant challenge,” said SVO product creation manager, Dave Foster, during an interview with Autonews.

“It’s not a cosmetic exercise. Every vent is doing something. Every surface has been designed to complement the drag and the aero and the lift requirements.”

The front of the car is now longer in order to fit the larger wheels and tires, while the engine compartment has been modified and the bulkhead moved in order to fit the massive 5.0-liter supercharged unit, but also the cooling system, brake lines and engine harness.

At the back, the floor of the trunk has been raised in order to make room for a differential cooler, which was never intended for the regular XE. As for the body panels, only the front doors and roof have been carried over from the regular car – everything else is both custom built as well as functional.