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2019 Jaguar XE SV Project 8 First Drive Review | Cat track fever

It doesn't take long for the cognoscenti to spot me. At stoplights, street corners, and parking lots, the 2019 Jaguar XE SV Project 8's swollen bodywork and park bench-sized tail attract the fanboys like iron to a magnet. My Velocity Blue tester is one of the few Project 8 cars in the States, and I can't remember the last modern Jaguar with so much head-turning charisma. If you're not up to speed, the Project 8 is Jaguar's surprise salvo into sedan madness. And Jag didn't half-ass it, either: it's Jag's biggest engine – a 592-horsepower, supercharged 5.0-liter V8 – stuffed into their smallest steed, the compact XE. Think Aston Martin V12 Vantage, AC Cobra 427, et al. Aiding downforce is a wing that delivers 269 pounds of downforce at 186 mph, so much that Jaguar had to reinforce the trunklid to prevent it from denting at high speeds. There's a flat underbody for reduced lift, and lightweight carbon fiber and aluminum body panels replacing all but the front door skins and roof. The purposeful theme is carried into the cabin, with snug racing buckets up front and seating limited to four. The boy racer cues bely some serious equipment. It's 68 lbs lighter than the next-lightest SE, the 380-hp S AWD supercharged V6. There's also a whole lot of tightening throughout, from the spring rates to the firmer engine mounts. In fact, the stiffening feels like it's been cranked to 11 – even in Comfort mode, the ride is taut and sometimes jarring, never quite feeling at ease enough. If you dig feeling every last ripple in the tarmac, it's wonderful, but anyone seeking a wallowy, coddling ride will find the Project 8 too much. The Project 8's razor sharp feedback begs you to drive on public roads like you're lapping Nardo or the Nurburbring – two of the circuits where the car was developed. But despite its legit origins, dicing such an overtly extroverted car through traffic can also be an enormous social liability. Go-fast sticker graphics? Check. Ginormous wing? Yep. Banana yellow brake calipers? Duh. This is weaponized transport for the street, enough to make the meekest driver look like he or she has something to prove. The Project 8's Alcantara-trimmed interior compliments the aggressive exterior, as do the snug-fitting seats, which use magnesium frames for weight savings (non-U.S. markets go a step further, with carbon fiber seats with four point harnesses). Squeeze the accelerator, and the XE responds with a shove and a snort even from low RPMs.

Lister Stealth debuts as a reworked Jaguar F-Pace SVR with 195-mph top speed

The Lister Jaguar F-Pace is here, and according to Lister, it’s “BritainÂ’s fastest and most powerful SUV.” Top speed is 195 mph. Bentley might like a word about this claim, as it considers the Bentayga Speed to be the fastest SUV in the world. However, the Bentley only tops out at 190 mph. ThereÂ’s the question of whether or not the Lister should count, too. At its core, the Lister Stealth (this vehicleÂ’s proper name) is a heavily reworked Jaguar F-Pace SVR.  None of the above will really matter unless you find yourself on the autobahn or an airstrip. Practically speaking, the StealthÂ’s 0-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds will be far more useful. ThatÂ’s a half second quicker than the F-Pace SVRÂ’s 4.1-second 0-60 mph time. It comes courtesy of Lister upping power from the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 to 666 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. Lister gets more power and better cooling via upgraded dual supercharger pulleys, a custom-built intercooler and a new high performance air filtration system. It then applies a custom tune to the powertrain software to make it as smooth and easy to drive as the regular F-Pace SVR. Cooling is enhanced further via a new carbon fiber front bumper that has two massive air intakes for added airflow. In addition to the bumper, Lister fits a new front splitter and larger rear diffuser for better aerodynamics. Larger side skirts and wider wheel arches enhance the stance of the vehicle, while 23-inch wheels make it stand out even more. A custom stainless steel exhaust pokes out through the carbon fiber diffuser, and uprated brakes hide behind those big wheels. Lister gives folks a ton of customization options for the interior. You can choose between 36 different color choices of the fancy Bridge of Weir Nappa leather. There are up to 90 different stitching options available, too.  We have a feeling there wonÂ’t be a single one exactly like another, because Lister is only building 100 Stealths. Pricing starts at GBP109,950 and goes up from there. At todayÂ’s exchange rates, itÂ’s equal to about $145,000. ThatÂ’s $63,250 more than a base F-Pace SVR. But hey, maybe that extra 19 mph on the top end is worth it to you. Related video: Featured Gallery Lister Stealth View 17 Photos Aftermarket Jaguar Crossover SUV Luxury Performance

Jaguar's next-generation XJ will be electric, but it won't bend design rules

Jaguar's next-generation XJ won't roar like a lion or purr like a kitten. It will ditch gasoline-powered six- and eight-cylinder engines in favor of electric power, the British company confirmed, but that's not an excuse to completely change its proportions. It will still be recognizable as a member of the decades-old XJ family. "We're there to make the best-looking cars we possibly can, so the new XJ, it does have a [hood] on it. It's a very, very elegant shape; it's probably a little bit more traditional than the I-Pace," explained Julian Thomson, the man who replaced Ian Callum as Jaguar's head of design, in an interview with magazine Auto Express. The aforementioned I-Pace is a segment-bending crossover with short overhangs and an unusually spacious cabin; it takes full advantage of the possibilities offered by compact electric technology, and it looks like nothing else on the road. Thomson confirmed his team won't take the XJ in this direction, and spy shots (pictured) taken far north of the Arctic Circle illustrate his point while keeping finer details under a swirly black and white wrap. Although it's built on a massive lithium-ion battery pack, the next-generation XJ seemingly wears the typical long front, short back proportions that have characterized the model for generations. The most dramatic change is the presence of a hatch instead of a trunk lid. It was added to give the sedan a more fastback-like appearance than its predecessor; it has nothing to do with what's under the sheet metal. The XJ has been the segment's underdog for many years so keeping the classic three-box silhouette would have been marketing suicide. "It's going to be a very, very luxurious, very, very calm, tranquil piece of transportation. But, it's not overtly flashy, it's not overtly expensive," summed up Thomson. His comments suggest it will be a better match for the Mercedes-Benz EQS, which is being designed around comfort the firm is known for globally, than for the Porsche Taycan, which stays true to the badge on its nose by putting a greater focus on performance. The electric version of the seventh-generation BMW 7 Series due out in the early 2020s will split the difference. Jaguar is putting the final touches on the next-generation XJ, and it plans to introduce the model before the end of 2020. It's too early to tell if the big, silent cat will make its debut at one of the few auto shows left on the calendar, at a standalone event, or online.