JAGUAR PROJECT 7 CONCEPT

• POSTED BY MOTO VERSO
 

“When you look at this car, it has got an enormous amount of appeal. It’s just full of desire – you can see that its sole purpose is to be enjoyed. Project 7 is a very special car – not just because it’s a one-off, but because of its purity of purpose. It’s pure Jaguar.”
Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar

Project 7 – based on the acclaimed F-TYPE and produced to showcase the creativity of Jaguar’s design and engineering teams – made its dynamic debut at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed on 12th July. The name acknowledges Jaguar’s seven victories at Le Mans between 1951and 1990; its striking blue paintwork is reminiscent of the victorious Jaguar D-types of 1956 and1957.

Although it is not intended for production, Project 7 is not merely a static concept, but a fully-functional, high-performance sports car. F-TYPE’s rigid all-aluminium architecture is the perfect starting point, with power provided by the 550PS version of Jaguar’s 5.0 Litre V8 Supercharged engine – an increase of 55PS over the F-TYPE V8 S.

In addition to the increase in power – delivered through Jaguar’s 8-speed Quickshift automatic transmission and Electronic Active Differential – Project 7 also features a free-flow exhaust system with a ceramic finish, 10mm lower ride height and a unique spring/damper tune.

The unique exterior celebrates Jaguar’s sporting bloodline. F-TYPE’s two key ‘heartlines’ remain, with the most prominent change being the D-type-inspired rear fairing section that incorporates a rollover hoop and swoops down from behind the driver’s head. The roof system has been completely removed.

Aerodynamic modifications include a carbon fibre front splitter, side skirts, large rear diffuser and a fixed rear spoiler with a 14-degree angle of attack, giving Project 7 a low, unified, muscular stance. The side louvres and bonnet vents are also carbon fibre, while the carbon fibre and aluminium wing mirrors draw inspiration from those on Jaguar’s C-X16 sports car concept, from which F-TYPE is derived.

The windshield has been lowered, while a new nose design incorporates revised air intakes and headlights with gloss black surrounds instead of chrome. The car sits on 20 inch Blade forged-alloy wheels with carbon fibre inserts.

The cockpit of Project 7 is no less impressive than its exterior. The driver sits in a composite bucket seat, lowered by 30mm, and is gripped by a four-point racing harness. The passenger seat is replaced by a unique helmet holder, which carries a custom-designed Project 7 helmet in matching blue paint and graphics, secured by its own harness.

The seat and the insides of the doors are finished in a quilted racing-style diamond pattern. There are carbon fibre inserts on the console and SportShift selector, the start-stop button is gloss black and the steering wheel is equipped with machined aluminium paddles.