Skip advert
Advertisement

2019 Jaguar XE SV Project 8 review – interior and tech

Jaguar's XE SV Project 8 takes a rather extreme approach to the supersaloon recipe than most, but has an equally extreme price tag to match

Evo rating
RRP
from £149,995
  • Performance, poise and ability on track, usable on road, bombastic soundtrack
  • Cup 2 tyres struggle in the wet, a few levels above the usual saloon price point

The Project 8’s interior ambience changes somewhat depending on whether you opt for the Track Pack or not. If you do, then the rear bench makes way for a roll-cage, and the standard reclining buckets are replaced with fixed-back items with four-point harnesses.

This does seem slightly incongruous when staring at you from the other direction is a near-standard interpretation of the regular Jaguar XE dashboard. In common with some of Jaguar’s other high-end performance models, this does breed an environment that doesn’t quite match up with the price tag, though objectively and in isolation the XE’s cabin is perfectly reasonable.

Advertisement - Article continues below

One welcome touch is the Alcantara steering wheel rim, while Jaguar’s infotainment system is improving all the time, and the digital instrument cluster ahead of you is clear enough for quick driving. Minor controls are sensibly arranged and physical buttons still handle the heating and ventilation.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

ZeroNine Ford Focus ST review – Ferrari 599 pulling power in a hatchback
ZeroNine Ford Focus ST – front
Reviews

ZeroNine Ford Focus ST review – Ferrari 599 pulling power in a hatchback

Leicestershire tuning firm ZeroNine has given the last-of-the-line Focus ST a new lease of life with a series of performance upgrades – and Ferrari 59…
14 Nov 2025
Used Volkswagen Golf R (Mk7, 2014 - 2020) review: the original hyper hatch for under £10k
Volkswagen Golf R (Mk7) front
Reviews

Used Volkswagen Golf R (Mk7, 2014 - 2020) review: the original hyper hatch for under £10k

We were always huge fans of the Mk7 VW Golf R. That its successor has never quite lived up to its high standards has only underlined how good it was
11 Nov 2025
Best Aston Martins – from brutes in suits to howling hypercars
Best Aston Martins
Best cars

Best Aston Martins – from brutes in suits to howling hypercars

Aston Martins often trade heavily on emotion, but there are a few that are revered by the evo team that are as beautiful to drive as they are to look …
14 Nov 2025