The F-TYPE Project 7 is a collectors’ edition sports car, with a limited run of only 250 worldwide. At its launch in 2014 it was the fastest and most powerful production Jaguar ever, capable of reaching 0-60 mph in just 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 186 mph. Designed by Jaguar’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) team it had one pure purpose – driving pleasure. It debuted at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed – in the 60^th anniversary year of the Jaguar D-type racer that inspired its design.

Project 7 was inspired by Jaguar’s proud racing past. Its name is derived from the seven times Jaguar has won the famous Le Mans 24-hour race. Three of those historic wins came in Jaguar’s iconic 1950s D-type. The brief to the design team was to conceive a modern day D-type – F-TYPE Project 7 is the exhilarating result.

F-TYPE Project 7’s power comes from Jaguar’s 5.0 litre supercharged V8 engine, now in 575 PS / 680 Nm form, enabling the all-aluminium-bodied car – which weighs 1,585 kg – to achieve acceleration from 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.9-seconds) and an electronically-limited top speed of 186 mph (300 km/h). F-TYPE Project 7 is fully road-legal, with a removable roof and 196-litre stowage space.

Power is sent to the rear wheels through Jaguar’s eight-speed ‘Quickshift’ transmission and second generation Electronic Active Differential (EAD). Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes, available as an option on the F-TYPE R Coupé, are fitted as standard on F-TYPE Project 7, offering powerful, consistent, fade-free braking. Another standard feature is Torque Vectoring by Braking (TVbB) which, working in conjunction with the EAD, enables extremely precise handling. Bespoke carbon-fibre aerodynamic aids and a unique suspension set-up enable F-TYPE Project 7 to deliver a truly engaging driving experience.

Key design elements include the D-type-inspired fairing behind the driver’s head, shorter windshield, new front bumper, and downforce-increasing aerodynamic modifications – including a carbon-fibre front splitter, side skirts, rear diffuser and adjustable rear spoiler. The original single-seater concept has been transformed into a two-seater, with rollover hoops for both driver and passenger now integrated into the design. In Project 7, the design DNA of the historic D-type has been blended with that of the cutting edge F-TYPE, itself a winner of the World Car Design award. While the most prominent retro styling cue is the distinctive ‘hump’ behind the driver’s head, the D-type’s flowing, swooping lines inform the whole design.