Wednesday 24th October 2018

Jaguar adds 600hp Project 8 to Race Taxi stable

XJR575 not fast enough? Jaguar is now offering up in an even quicker way of being taxied round the Ring

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The Ring and Race Taxi format is well established at the Nordschleife now; pay your euros, jump in the passenger seat, hold on tight for a few minutes while being scared, share onboard video for weeks after. Jaguar has been running an XJR575 through its Nurburgring experience centre for a while now, along with an F-Type SVR, but now the latter has been replaced - by an XE Project 8.

Yep, that means Jaguar's fleet of Nurburgring cars are a pair of four-door saloons. Marvellous news. Still, the XE is of course better suited to the task than most, having clocked that incredible 7:21 lap last year - making it the fastest production four-door to have lapped there - and designed specifically with circuit driving in mind. Indeed Jaguar describes the place as "an essential part" of the car's development. Even though a 7:21 isn't going to happen with paying customers on board, Jaguar does say a lap will feature speeds in excess of 155mph and cornering force of up to 1.8g. 

The bad news? Well it'll have to be one at a time, sadly, and not four-up, as the XE being used as the Race Taxi will be a car equipped with the Track Pack, and thus not include rear seats. Shame. Time in the passenger seat costs €199 per lap, with the Race Taxi experience still running until November this year before closing for the winter. Book your space here!

 

[BFleming]

I saw a project 8 at the Nurburgring two weeks ago (not this one I hasten to add), complete with 'Prototype Vehicle' sticker on the back bumper. This new orange one shows up on the DVLA website as having '0g CO2/km', which is the usual telltale of UK prototype / evaluation vehicles. They must have some generous insurance that allows them to carry passengers on the Ring in such a car - particularly as Dale Lomas or Celia Martin don't hold back! But it is big business nowadays, with the BMW ringtaxis retired & the taxis run by (at least) 4 different companies, each allowed 2 cars at any one time. I did the Apex taxi in the M3 driven by Moritz Kranz. Phenominal.

The Project 8 I saw there:

[Jon_S_Rally]

I did a lap with Dale in the F-Type earlier this year. Have been out with him in an M6 in the past too. Great guy and can definitely steer a car. The F-Type was excellent I must say, even from the passenger seat. A total lunatic of a car. Might have to go for the Project 8 lap next time I'm out there.

[JP.Racing]

I have been a passenger in one of the development cars on the test tack, as well as some finished cars on the road. I really really want one, regardless of it being a somewhat daft and expensive car. The noise it makes, the looks of the thing (just not red!), the rarity and the split personality. A four seater is plenty comfortable enough to cruise about in, might even manage 30mpg. Then hit the switches to put it into track mode and turn the exhaust into full shout and all hell breaks loose.

Gloss BRG with gold bits please, similar to this... Or white looks very good as well

[robinandcamera]

I’d love an insight in the the maintenance these cars must need to be able to smash laps day in, day out!

[cobra kid]

robinandcamera said:

I’d love an insight in the the maintenance these cars must need to be able to smash laps day in, day out!

Like any other taxi - generally none!

[Onehp]

robinandcamera said:

I’d love an insight in the the maintenance these cars must need to be able to smash laps day in, day out!

Depends on the car. But very roughly new tyres and brake pads every 100 laps, new disks and oil changes every 200 or so. Inbetween, checking tyre pressures and oil levels. At the very least if not more attention points exist.

[Dr Barrie 9]

I have just seen a 'walk-around' and a road test of this car on 'Harry's Garage on You Tube....................awesome !!!

[Insurancejon]

JP.Racing said:

I have been a passenger in one of the development cars on the test tack, as well as some finished cars on the road. I really really want one, regardless of it being a somewhat daft and expensive car. The noise it makes, the looks of the thing (just not red!), the rarity and the split personality. A four seater is plenty comfortable enough to cruise about in, might even manage 30mpg. Then hit the switches to put it into track mode and turn the exhaust into full shout and all hell breaks loose.

Gloss BRG with gold bits please, similar to this... Or white looks very good as well

I spent a day at the jaguar test track trying to convince myself to buy one. But came away preferring the project 7 and the SVR F type we played with as well.

It’s just a bit souless. Not suited to the automatic gearbox, and it’s got too much grip. A British v8 should at least scare you a little bit, but it doesn’t. You really have to provoke it to break traction.

The project 7 on the other hand is a lovely bit of theatre. The noise. Tail wagging if you stamp on the loud pedal, it just feels more jaguar.

Also a couple of niggles with the project 8

1. LHD? it’s British ffs!
2. You can’t just press a button to go fully into track mode. Yes you press the noisy button, but you have to manually adjust each shocker when you get to the track.
3 the door card has hard edges which dig into your leg on hard corners

I went wanting to buy it......really disappointed it didn’t make me feel that way

[JP.Racing]

Insurancejon said:

I spent a day at the jaguar test track trying to convince myself to buy one. But came away preferring the project 7 and the SVR F type we played with as well.

It’s just a bit souless. Not suited to the automatic gearbox, and it’s got too much grip. A British v8 should at least scare you a little bit, but it doesn’t. You really have to provoke it to break traction.

The project 7 on the other hand is a lovely bit of theatre. The noise. Tail wagging if you stamp on the loud pedal, it just feels more jaguar.

Also a couple of niggles with the project 8

1. LHD? it’s British ffs!
2. You can’t just press a button to go fully into track mode. Yes you press the noisy button, but you have to manually adjust each shocker when you get to the track.
3 the door card has hard edges which dig into your leg on hard corners

I went wanting to buy it......really disappointed it didn’t make me feel that way

I can see your point, I enjoyed the time I spent in Project 7, but I'd rather a Project 8. Not really sure why, I think if I was going British convertible I'd always default to wanting a Morgan of some description.

As for your other points
1. No choice on that unfortunately, couldn't get the engine in and make it RHD, as much as I agree with you. You just need a very trustworthy co-pilot to let you know when it's safe to overtake
2. Well you can just press the buttons, but for full effect (and proper track use) you need to get the spanners out. Increase the angle of attack on the wing, slide out the splitter and take the damper spacers out. I reckon that's about 30mins work at most for taking it on a track day.
3. Not something I can say I have ever noticed. Was that with track pack or the 4 seat version? The seats and support offered differs a lot, I personally don't like the track pack seats.

[handpaper]

piston25m said:

cobra kid said:

Like any other taxi - generally none!

That's bks. I know one rental taxi that spends €10,000s a month in maintenance contracts with a specialist race team and builder.

BMW apparently replaced brake pads every 10 laps, tyres every 20, and the complete suspension every 50. The M5 'Ring Taxis never made money.

[custardkid]

Went out in the XJR last weekend awesome!

took off twice, some tail out action, over taking all but the post committed sports cars, all with acres of rear leg space very incongruous


apparently they change tyres everday, and twice a day on a busy days
still original engine & gearbox after 30k km at the ring

also chatted to the Apex guys, they were envious that the jags getting new rubber / brakes on demand, being factory backed, the other independent taxis (inc BMW M5s) have to make the tyres last 50-80 laps (c 1 week??)

[JP.Racing]

custardkid said:

Went out in the XJR last weekend awesome!

took off twice, some tail out action, over taking all but the post committed sports cars, all with acres of rear leg space very incongruous


apparently they change tyres everday, and twice a day on a busy days
still original engine & gearbox after 30k km at the ring

also chatted to the Apex guys, they were envious that the jags getting new rubber / brakes on demand, being factory backed, the other independent taxis (inc BMW M5s) have to make the tyres last 50-80 laps (c 1 week??)

I did think all these comments about little maintenance didn't ring true, with it being factory supported and all. The Project 7 we used on a ride and drive day had a fresh set of rubber in the morning and they went in the bin at the end of the day. That was only on one of the pokey little test tracks and not 'the ring'.