We might be able to have a look at the gorgeous engines of mid-engined Italian supercars, but when it comes to front-engined sports cars, it’s all a big coverup. But not in the Jaguar Project 7, by far the nastiest sounding car in Harry’s Garage, and possibly anywhere else.
Harry Metcalfe had a lot to do with this car when the company decided to put it into limited production, being the advisor of Jaguar Land Rover for quite some time now. So, it’s only natural to see him drive one of the 250 examples Special Vehicle Operations has built as well.
When Evo tested Jagaur’s smaller halo car, their conclusion was that it’s still slower than a Porsche 911 Turbo. Which is unsurprising, because most moving objects are slower than a 991 Turbo. But the Project 7 wasn’t built to chase highly evolved Beetles. It’s much cooler than that.
Personally, I really enjoyed driving the V6 F-Type, and those who wished for more insanity could always go for the V8 F-Type R. We all know an SVR version is coming as well with even more power, but in the meantime, Jaguar’s engineers put a 575 horsepower version of that supercharged V8 into the Project 7. Which turned out to be more like a 585 HP engine if there’s a cold breeze out there. And to make sure it keeps cool even on the track, they threw away the engine cover as well. Good lads.
With 501 pound-feet of torque available from 2500 rpm, this is not a car you want to floor at all times, especially if you went for Continental’s stickier Force Contact tires, which need a little warming up before getting to work. Top speed might be limited, but it’s limited to 186 mph. With its different engine mapping, bigger camber and carbon brakes as standard, this is way more than an F-Type in drag.
The Project 7 is light too. After getting rid of the roof and shortening the windscreen, Jaguar ended up with a 3,494 pound car. Not bad for something that sounds like it’s gonna eat you alive. I’ll let Harry take over:
You won’t see many of these out there, but when you do, you’ll fall in love with its details just like I did at the Geneva Motor Show.
Photo credit: Harry’s Garage
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