Just when we thought that we have had enough of the alluring Jaguar F-Type, the British marquee recently came out with a more appealing version of the sexy sports car. Called the Jaguar Project 7, this F-Type-based study was supposed to make its debut at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, but it seems like Jaguar was more than excited to share this new big cat with the world.
Created as a one-off concept, the design and creation of the Project 7 was led by Jaguar’s Director of Design, Ian Callum. The car gained inspiration from the Jaguar D-Type racing car produced back in the mid 1950’s. The D-Type was actually one of Jaguar’s successful models as it triumphed in being an endurance racer in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, grabbing the win in its class in 1955, 1956 and 1957.
To turn the F-Type into this unique speedster, Jaguar removed the entire fabric roof and its lifting system and fitted the car with a low-slung windscreen. Also bathed in a new livery, the Project 7 is added a prominent rear buttress behind the driver’s head which includes a rollover hoop.
Bits of carbon fiber could also be found on parts like the front splitter, side skirts, side mirrors, rear diffuser and also on the 20-inch Blade forged-alloy wheels. The new bonnet vents, air intakes and the fixed rear spoiler are also bathed in this lightweight space-age material.
“Project 7 is a single-seater sports car based on the F-Type, with the kind of racing-inspired form that designers dream about. It has one purpose; to be driven fast and enjoyed. Jaguar sports cars are known for exceptional performance and clean design. Project 7 captures that spirit in its purest form,” said Callum.
Under the hood lies the same 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine powering the standard F-Type V8 S, but Jaguar engineers had thrown a little magic into it so that it now carries an extra 54-horsepower and 41 lb-ft of torque, totalling the power output to 542-horsepower and 501 lb-ft of torque. Zerotohundred is dealt in just 4.1 seconds and it has a top speed of 300 km/h.
