Skip advert
Advertisement

2019 Jaguar XE SV Project 8 review – design

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 full effect of the Project 8’s styling doesn’t really come across in photographs. The early, liveried Track Pack cars frankly looked a bit naff, but spend some time with a Touring in a decent colour and you’ll learn to love the cocktail of class and brutality, like a character from a gangster movie.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Some angles are better than others – in profile or any view taking in the front of the car, Project 8 looks fantastic, and those rear arches are so wide they can’t help but have an impact on the shape even if you’re staring directly at the profile. From the rear, things aren’t as rosy – neat though it is being able to see the rear tyres poking out either side of the bumper, it looks rather blocky, not helped by the bland rear details from the standard XE.

Some of the detailing is great, though, such as the carbonfibre splitters surrounding the car at its lowest point, many inscribed with an aircraft-style ‘no step’. The honeycomb holes in the front bumper are interesting too.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ravage Tarmac Master is the ultimate Alpine A110, designed by the man behind Valkyrie
Ravage Alpine A110 Ultime Tarmac Master
News

Ravage Tarmac Master is the ultimate Alpine A110, designed by the man behind Valkyrie

Ravage’s latest creation, the Ultime‑based Tarmac Master, delivers an Alpine-supported final twist to the A110 story
9 May 2026
The Lotus Esprit is officially making a return, and it has a V8
Lotus Esprit
News

The Lotus Esprit is officially making a return, and it has a V8

Lotus is resurrecting the iconic Esprit nameplate for a V8 hybrid supercar as part of a major strategic pivot toward electrified combustion power
11 May 2026
This unseen Slovenian tech is about to change cars forever, and I've already tried it
In-wheel motors
News

This unseen Slovenian tech is about to change cars forever, and I've already tried it

In-wheel motors promise a revolution in vehicle dynamics, offering lightning-fast control and superior grip for performance hybrids and EVs. I put it …
6 May 2026