MY FH5 Log: Supreme Version

JLR's Special Vehicles Operations are widely known for producing their strongest take on the company's luxury cars. By making them unique, implanting them with supercharged V8 power, and giving them sports-tuned dynamics, the SV cars are as supreme as...Gaia in his SV form. Plus Ultra.

As the supercharged V8 engine era of JLR is drawing to its bittersweet end, it's time to pay tribute to the SVO's supreme masterpieces.

The Range Rover Sport SVR is based on the second-generation Range Rover Sport. It's infamous for being used by Spectre goons in the James Bond film series. It has the same supercharged 5.0L V8 engine as the Jaguar F-Type R, producing 550HP of power and 502ft-lb of torque.

The Jaguar F-Type Project 7 is a limited-edition model that pays tribute to the legendary D-Type race car. The supercharged 5.0L V8 engine was upgraded to produce 575hp of power. Because it lost nearly 190lbs compared to the base V8 F-Type R Convertible, it's faster as well. Only 250 units were made and sold worldwide.

The Jaguar F-Type SVR, obtained from the Horizon Race-Off Hot Season Playlist, is no doubt the most powerful series production F-Type ever made. Premiered at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, the SVR's 5.0L V8 supercharged engine produces 567hp of power and 700Nm of torque. Little-known trivia is that then-Top Gear host Rory Reid drove the F-Type SVR to the Geneva Motor Show.

Obtained from the game's Acceleration Car Pack, the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 is the most powerful Jaguar ever made. The 5.0L V8 supercharged engine has reached its peak 600hp output. Only 300 were made and offered in three different versions; the four-seater with front Performance seats with magnesium frames, the two-seater Track Pack, and a subtle Touring variant. As production of the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 ended, it set a Nurburgring Nordschleife lap record of 7m18.361s.

Time to give the JLR's supercharged V8 power the supreme farewell by comparing four SVO models around the cathedral, finding out which one is the supreme being. Let's roll the tape.

And now the results...

RRS - 1m12.422s

Project 7 - 1m09.036s

F-Type SVR - 1m06.083s

XE Project 8 - 1m04.431s

The most powerful Jaguar ever made is the supreme leader after all.

It's a real shame that the glorious roar of the supercharged V8 engine has reached its endgame in the age of the new normal but even in the end, the JLR SVO performed the supreme task of making the most insane vehicles that existed. This is true British grit the world will never forget.

The road and track are the stars of SVO.

EPILOGUE

Since the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 is the supreme compared to the other JLR SVO models offered in Forza Horizon 5, it's time to give the most powerful Jaaag the best send-off it deserves, and this means...BLAST FROM THE PAST.

Hello again, Mahiru Kasumi. I hope your reprise fits well.

With the XE Project 8 reprising the role of Aikatsu Stars' Mahiru Kasumi during my Horizon Australia days with the base XE, it's time for its final act in an EventLab re-enactment of Lydden Hill, curated by a certain Forza fan named Fod13xbox. Let's roll the tape.

Here it is, the last Romance Kiss it will never forget.

The Jaguar XE Project 8 has completed its final mission. The days of the supercharged V8 power is officially perished but the roar lives on forever.

Mission Accomplished.

Forza Horizon 3: Baby Jag born again

By the time you laid your hands on the Jaguar XE on Forza Horizon 3's Duracell Car Pack, you might start asking how in the name of all things bright and beautiful is this baby Jaguar doing here even though it comes with the similar supercharged V6 engine as the F-Pace you tried out moments ago. To explain what I'm on about, let's investigate what's it all about the rebirth of the baby Jag.



When Jaguar once made the X-Type in the last decade, they wanted to make a car that can compete against the BMW 3-Series but because of its Ford-derived platform and front-wheel drive, it was a disaster and they killed it. Fast forward to this decade and Jaguar's back in making a 3-Series rival in the form of the new XE. Launched in 2015, it was the first Jaguar to use a brand new platform that will be used in upcoming models for cost-saving measures. With this, the aluminum bodywork, and rear-wheel drive, the XE is the most important car in the Jaguar range. For the time being, the top-of-the-line model comes with the 3.0L Supercharged V6 engine derived from the F-Type. With the 8-speed automatic gearbox present, it produces 340PS of power and 450Nm of torque. 0-60mph takes about 4.9 seconds and top speed electronically limited to 155mph.



As you'd expect, the Jaguar XE is no X-Type on the contrary and because this car is surprisingly lighter than the Germans, it was no surprise that the XE handles like a Jag and despite having problems with that electric power steering in terms of handling sharply, you can really get hooked on this baby Jag as long as you want and because this is Horizon, you have endless possibilities to do with the XE as I shall now demonstrate.





See what I did to the XE? I've experiment with this car using a supercharged V8 because I just heard that Jaguar are doing some kind of experiment to inject their supercharged V8 engine for their limited-edition XE reserved for the privileged few so I reckon I can do the same thing...sorta. Apart from that, my test subject car is donning a special kind of design I made just for this. What? Don't know this face? That's Aikatsu Stars' Mahiru, now donning her sister's S4 uniform after claiming her sister's spot and become her successor. Anyway, long story short but this is the kind of thing I'm reflecting on this case study and with the test subject XE in question armed with the supercharged V8 and four-wheel drive, along with the very cute design to lure them to its trap, looks like its ready to spin its wheels and have a shot at it. Oh, and better get your headphones ready because I'm sure you're going to love it.



Man that noise is so cool, makes me want to listen to it over and over again but anyway, while the electric power steering upsets the 4WD setup on my test subject, unless you master limited-slip differential knowledge, it's a clear reminder that this kind of experiment with its howling V8 engine powering all four wheels is the kind of simulation that I expect from the folks from Jaguar and because it's ready to unleash their kind of XE to the public, nothing like simulating the future by creating one and looks like I'm looking forward to it.

In the meantime, let's look back at the XE. In its stock form, it wasn't so bad to drive but with the little creativity, just imagine how much untapped potential you can come up with that baby Jag and if you get used to your creation, you're going to get hooked with it over and over until it needs refining. The more you know and that's how you do with your new Jaguar XE in the Land Down Under only here on FH3.

Jaguar XE

In the dawn of the new millennium, Jaguar wanted to create a saloon to rival against the C-Class, the A4, and the 3-Series, with the X-Type, but sadly the X-Type never made the cut because of its Ford-derived chassis, front-wheel drive, and its lackluster character, making it the reason why they would never compete in a class like this but now, Jaguar decided to have another go in this segment with their latest vehicle, the XE.

2016 Jaguar XE

Here it is and by the looks of it, it looks more stylish and tasteful as its big brothers, the XF and the XJ, but you might imagine that the XE is going to have the similar recipe for disaster as the X-Type but no. That's because the new XE comes with a lightweight aluminum monocoque that makes it lighter and more stiffer than any other saloons from Germany. It is the first to use JLR's brand new platform which we are looking forward to their future lineup of cars, all in the name of cost-effective measures. Combine with a new platform, space-age aluminum bodywork, and its rear-wheel drive and what you get is a saloon that likes to lay a finger against Germany's finest.

The XE is the most important car in the Jaguar range because it is the first to introduce the new "Ingenium" engine range suitable for the XE to deliver a healthy balance of performance and efficiency. There's a 2.0L 4-cylinder diesel engine with two different configurations; the first that can achieve 75MPG on the combined cycle and the latter is the more powerful one with 180PS of power. Apart from the Ingenium range, you can get a 2.0L turbo petrol engine or the more powerful 3.0L Supercharged V6 engine derived from the F-Type.

2016 Jaguar XE

The 3.0L V6 supercharged engine, available on the S variant produces 340PS of power and 450Nm of torque. 0-60mph takes about 4.9 seconds and top speed electronically limited to 155mph. This version is mated with an improved 8-speed automatic gearbox which sounds like a much but if you want to have a more enjoyable drive should go for the lesser models, basically the one with the Ingenium engines in it because of its newly-developed 6-speed manual gearbox which shifts greatly and accurately without the drama.

Now, let's talk about handling and this is where the XE starts to come unraveled because for the first time in the Jaguar, an electric power steering is implemented and when you engage to its sportiest setting, you'll be having a hard time giving this car a good thrashing but when you get things right, the XE feels more accessible and planted to the road like sliding through jellied eels. Think about this, when you try to draw a string on your bow, you are trying to break the silence and things get a little more surprising as you come across the right path.

2016 Jaguar XE interior

The XE really gets on the right path unlike the X-Type from the last decade and while this is still essentially a good car to drive, despite the implementation of its electric power steering, which became a thrill-killing curse to all cars of today, and it feels more civilized on the road. On the inside, it has everything what a good saloon car should do when he's done with his office affairs and it's nicer to live with.

2016 Jaguar XE

The new XE starts at around 29,775 Pounds and that costs a lot than its German competitors but if there's one thing to like about the XE that is on par against its German rivals, it's not about the style and the performance. It's about the importance of being an all-important Jag on the lineup and by proving that this is the future for Jaguar, it's been sealed and we can expect great things to come from the XE and the rest of the Jaguar lineup.

Available colors: Ebony Black Solid, Polaris White Solid, Ammonite Grey Metallic, Bluefire Metallic, British Racing Green Metallic, Dark Sapphire Metallic, Glacier White Metallic, Italian Racing Red Metallic, Odyssey Red Metallic, Osmium Blue Metallic, Quartzite Metallic, Rhodium Silver Metallic, Ultimate Black Metallic, Black Cherry Premium, Celestial Black Premium, Ingot Premium, Storm Grey Metallic, and Tempest Grey Premium.

Photo: Jaguar Land Rover Limited