This week, we’re reviewing what was once the fastest production sedan to lap the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca race track: the Cadillac CTS-V. As reminder, it is powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that produces 640-horsepower and 630 lb.-ft. of torque.
Back in 2016, an identical car set the fastest lap time at 1:38.52. Just now, a Jaguar XE SV Project 8, driven by Professional driver and Motor Trend contributor, Randy Pobst, has set a new record of 1:37.54. In the racing world, and on a track such as Laguna Seca, nearly a second improvement is a lifetime.
The XE is hand-built at Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations Technical Center in Coventry. Only 300 will be built, so it will be a very exclusive car. It is powered by a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 that generates 592-horsepower and 516 lb.-ft. of torque. The top speed is 200 mph (320 km/h) and it will reach 60 mph (96 km/h) in as little as 3.4 seconds thanks in part to its AWD configuration.
Turn up the volume, you’ll thank us.
[…] The 2021 Jaguar F-TYPE R gets a revised chassis with a newly tuned suspension, while the transmission is said to shift gears faster than before, with what engineers learned by creating the mighty Jaguar XE SV Project 8. […]