PARTY 7

As Jaguar prepares for a bold step into the future,Octane celebrates the F-type Project 7, a thrilling sports car that draws on the marque's Le Mans heritage

- Elliot Hughes

It’s hard not to feel a twinge of nostalgia ~ even a pang of loss — when driving a petrol-powered Jaguar sports car in 2025. That's especially true of the F-type Project 7, in many respects the high-water mark of a lineage that began with the XK120 in 1948 and included some of the most iconic British cars ever made.

The end of that tradition has been looming for a while. In 2022 Jaguar announced its all-electric reinvention, as it took a first step towards its ninth life as a luxury EV brand. Is it the right move? Only time will tell. But one thing's clear: the marque had to act. It had, after all, been in stasis for some time, though opinion is split as to whether Jaguar's highly publicised brand relaunch last year was more controversy than comeback. The proof will arrive with the production car, expected late next year.

Meanwhile, I’m about to get behind the wheel of a Jaguar F-type Project 7. This 2015 example is one of just 250 built by Jaguar Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division, and only 80 of those were destined for the UK. Its first owner was the founder of the ASK Italian restaurant chain; in June 2016 it moved on to property tycoon Christian Candy. The current owner ~ a discerning collector — acquired the car in 2021 and is now selling it through Simon Drabble Cars. Still it shows only 2500 miles on the clock, so it’s as close to a new Project 7 as you'll find.

Driving a car such as this is always a privilege - particularly as hindsight tells us that Project 7 represents the end of an era, being the pinnacle of Jaguar's front-engined sports car tradition. Born from overwhelming demand for the concept unveiled at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Project 7 is named after the marque’s seven Le Mans victories, while Ian Callum’s styling references the legendary D-type racer. Make no mistake: this rare cat has the claws to match its snarl.