The Project 7 F-Type is one of those 'file under harmless fun' concepts the Jaguar team has probably earned after soaking up the praise from
the F-Type
. A bit of summer fun timed for Goodwood and an attempt to steal just a little of Porsche's thunder from its title sponsor role off the back of the 911's 50th birthday. Well, who can blame them.
Of seven Le Mans wins the D-Type's shout loud
Taken from the sketchpad of Jaguar designer Cesar Pieri to reality in just four months, the Project 7 pays homage to Jaguar's seven victories at Le Mans. Most obviously in its visual reference to the D-Type, which took victory three years in a row from 1955 to '57. But you'll have spotted that, the fairing behind the driver's head a clear stylistic nod to this classic Jag racer.
The thuggish F-Type doesn't quite have the delicacy of line of its celebrated influence, even with the chopped down windscreen and single-seat layout, but it's certainly got plenty of visual impact. Likely to be matched with a suitably Goodwood 'optimised' exhaust system through which the upgraded 550hp supercharged V8 can make itself heard above all the other cars at the Festival of Speed. Some challenge there but even the standard F-Type isn't shy about announcing its presence so it's working from a solid basis.
That power upgrade matches the XKR-S and bewinged GT offshoot revealed at New York earlier in the year and bearing a similar 'after hours' look about it. Jaguar has said it'll make 30 of those for North America at £130K a pop but don't hold your breath if the Project 7 tickles your fancy. Still, they said if they get enough interest they'll make a few GTs for the UK too so if your wallet shouts loudly enough never say never...
Downforce? Weight saving? Nah. Looks ace though.
On the outside there are lots of carbon fibre embellishments, many apparently influenced by the C-X16 concept from which the F-Type was originally developed. Credit due to the design team too, there being no claim that the fixed rear wing, side skirts and reprofiled front bumper are about anything other than aesthetics.
Mainly it just looks like riotous fun and with chief 'Vehicle Integrity' engineer Mike Cross at the wheel promises to fill the air with tyre smoke and noise when it makes its runs up the hill. Cross may be quietly spoken in person but his ability to get Jaguars to apparently unseemly angles and nonchalantly hold them there while the tyres incinerate themselves is well proven. Whether he can generate enough smoke to temporarily obscure Porsche's 35-metre high sculpture on Lord March's lawn remains to be seen but you can be sure he'll be giving it a good go, if only to maintain honour and match Andy Wallace's prize for most spectacular departure from the line earned at the preview event in the XFR-S prototype earlier this year.
Since we posted this story Jaguar has added a video. See here!