Piece of History For Sale: 2019 Jaguar XE SV Project 8

By John Coyle - May 24, 2021

If you missed scoring a super-rare Jaguar Project 8 when they were released, here’s your chance to grab one.

With only 300 examples produced, the XE SV Project 8 is one of the rarest Jaguars of the modern era. And given that Coventry has announced its intention to phase out internal combustion engines entirely, this vicious track-oriented machine is absolutely one of the last of its kind. While that’s a little sad to think about, given the resources that went into making this factory-designed hot rod, we should probably be thankfully it exists at all. It’s a glorious answer to a question nobody asked — and I love it.

Now, when it was first announced, getting your hands on one was no easy feat. Aside from the not-insignificant $188,000 base price, the tiny production run and high demand among well-heeled Jaguar fans meant you had to be in the know to score an allocation. But if you’ve got an extra $245,000 burning a hole in your pocket, it’s time to start paying attention, because a lovely example just became available on Hemmings. That’s a significant premium over MSRP, for sure. But you know what they say about paying and playing.

That said, the ad in question is a little funny. For one thing, it’s listed as a “2019 Jaguar Sedan,” and while that’s technically correct, it also glosses over every single thing which makes this machine unique.

While it goes to great pains to explain how much warranty is left, and plays up the — admittedly cool — PR8JECT vanity plate, there’s no mention of the limited run or the specs which make this kitty such a gem. Seriously, that title is a little like calling the Mona Lisa “a painting in France.” I mean, it’s accurate, but sells the work a tad short.

So allow me to refresh your memory about exactly what makes the Project 8 so special. First off, there’s the fact that its supercharged 5.0-liter V8 cranks out a whopping 592 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. That means it’ll make the sprint from zero to 60 mph in a blistering 3.5 seconds, and blast through the quarter mile in a brisk 11.8 seconds. Keep your foot in the carpet, and it’ll hit an incredible 200 mph. If you’re into that kind of thing, it was also the fastest sedan to lap Germany’s infamous Nürburgring at one point.

Those wicked numbers alone should seem to ensure future collectability. But since prices for legendary Jaguars like the XJ 220 haven’t gone completely ballistic just yet, I feel like there’s a little ways to go before we see uber-rich folks fawning over the Project 8 at Pebble Beach or Amelia Island. Of course, that takes nothing away from this machine, and I encourage you to check out the Q&A our own Jake Stumph did with Jaguar SVO way back in 2017, as it’s a great read. I’ll be keeping an eye on this baby, so stay tuned for news on this rare big cat!

Photos: Hemmings