Jaguar F-type Project 7 concept (2013) first pictures of Goodwood one-off

The Jaguar Project 7 will make its debut at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Based on the F-Type convertible, the single-seat P7, named as a tribute to Jaguar’s seven Le Mans victories, has retro tweaks from the legendary Jaguar D-Type that won the 24-hour in 1955 and ’56.

The P7’s changes, which were managed by Jaguar design guru Ian Callum, start with a chopped-down front windscreen, as well as a 10mm drop in ride height and 20-inch alloys, painted black. A unique carbon front splitter, side skirts and the retro striping bolster the menacing look, while the vents and louvres are made of the same stuff.

That’s the best part of the design: the single turret that rises from the bodyline behind the driver’s head, ala the D-Type. The F-Type's roof was completely removed to make way for the fairing, with its integrated rollover hoop, and melds superbly with the F-Type’s rear lamps and chunky carbon diffuser, but we’re not so sure about the rear-wing with its 14-degree tilt – something that D-Jaguar driver Mike Hawthorn didn’t have as he diced trough traffic along the Mulsanne Straight in his D-Type on his way to victory in the 1955 24-hour.

There are mechanical tweaks, but the P7’s been given Jaguar’s best driveline to begin with. Hawthorn had to make do with six-cylinders in his D-Type, he’d be envious of the P7’s 542bhp 5.0-litre supercharged V8, taken straight from the XKR-S, which has 54bhp more than the regular F-Type V8 S roadster.

The P7 has a ceramic-coated exhaust to belch sound from, while there’s also one-off carbonfibre seat, quilted leather interior and a helmet holder in place of the front passenger seat. The blue paintwork is again tribute to the early Le Mans racecars, which would have envied the P7’s 4.1sec 0-62mph claim and top of 186mph – matching the fastest Jag on sale now, the XKR-S.

Callum says that he was inspired by the idea of a single-seat F-Type. ‘As a team, our challenge was to take this gem of an idea, work within the limitations of production feasibility, and create something worthwhile. So I encouraged Cesar and Alister Whelan, Chief Designer, Jaguar, to take it to the next stage and develop a workable concept, and with the support of key departments, Project 7 was born.

While it’s a one off, you’ll be able to see the Jaguar Project 7 at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, where Jaguar engineer, Mike Cross, will drive it. 

By Damion Smy