This is the new Jaguar Project 7, a new concept car which will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend.
Based on the new F-Type, the Project 7 is designed to evoke the spirit of the company's Le Mans racers and is even named after the number of times the company has triumphed at La Sarthe. The Project 7 pays homage especially to the legendary D-Type which won the 24-hour race three times between 1955 and 1957.
Goodwood Festival of Speed 2013 preview
The biggest nod to the D-Type is of course the fin behind the driver's seat which was originally designed to provide aerodynamic stability at high speeds. Whether or not it performs the same function on the Project 7 is unclear; however, it does look rather excellent.
In addition to the fin, the Project 7 also gets a new carbon-fibre front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser. Jaguar didn't stop there with the carbon-fibre and as a result you'll also find some on the bonnet vents, wing mirrors and 20-inch forged-alloy wheels. They've also taken the standard F-Type's fabric roof and thrown it in the bin, adding a rollover hoop in its place.
True to its racing heritage, there is only space inside the Project 7 for the driver, with the passenger seat being replaced by a unique helmet holder which holds a custom-designed bespoke Project 7 helmet finished in the same colour as the car.
Speaking of the colour, the Project 7's blue paintwork is reminiscent of the blue livery in which the Jaguar D-Types of the 1956 and 1957 were finished. On the inside, the seats and the insides of the doors are finished in a quilted racing-style diamond pattern.
Mechanically, the Project 7 owes a lot to the standard F-Type; however, Jag's engineers have managed to screw an extra 54bhp out of the car's supercharged 5.0-litre V8, bringing the total power output up to 542bhp. As a result 0-62mph takes just 4.1 seconds and at the top end the car is limited to 186mph.
Ian Callum, Jaguar's Director of Design, said of the car: "When you look at this car, it has got an enormous amount of appeal. It's just full of desire -- you can see that its sole purpose is to be enjoyed.
"Project 7 is a very special car -- not just because it's a one-off, but because of its purity of purpose. It's pure Jaguar."
Unfortunately, the Project 7 is purely a design concept intended only to woo the Goodwood crowds and will not reach production; however, it does indicate that Jaguar could be preparing an extreme version of the F-Type.
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