Arriving from Hogarths Hotel in
Solihull in the Jaguar F-pace type R, we approached a breathtaking
scene; a line up of three showroom slick Project 8s sat patiently
on top of a hill, the morning mist beginning to clear around them.
The consisted of the Touring model, a two-seat 'Track Pack'
and a four-seat version. There's not a whole lot of visible
difference between them, other than the Touring being wingless.
Inside, only the Track Pack stands out with the cage and just two
seats. Well, it is for track days, as you
guessed. Even knowing that it’s the exact same car as the two
others, the Track Pack, somehow, inspires some real excitement. The
car recently beat its own time on the Nürburgring Nordschleife with
7m18.3s and currently is the fastest four-door production car on
the planet.
The cars showcased the sublime 5.0L
supercharged V8, 592bhp along with adjustable suspension and
aerodynamics. In a world where most manufacturers tend to get
smaller engines, this 5.0L is just what we need: manna from
petrolhead heaven. It speaks to the heritage of Jaguar racing, with
a sophisticated growl at the merest touch of the accelerator.
Clocking in at 3.3s for the 0-60mph and a top speed of 200mph and
700Nm, they make great stats for pub conversations, but what
matters most is how you handle this much of everything on proper
roads. The all wheels’ drive is your best friend and provides you
comfort from one corner to the next without any fear of giving too
much sudden power to the throttle. The gearshift is crisp, dampers
and springs are stiff and it feels connected. The car is agile,
capable, powerful but not light despite the carbon feel all around
the vehicle.
Three hundred and fifty miles later,
and with a little help prising my bloodless fingers from the death
grip on the wheel, we arrived at the Ynyshir Hotel run by Chef
Gareth Ward, a Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms located on
the coast of mid-Wales near the Snowdonia National Park. And
because a road trip is as much about the stops as it is the roads,
we were a bunch of happy drivers when Gareth boldly proclaimed that
he was about to serve the best BBQ of our lives. He was not wrong.
This trip was a mixture of some of the most stunning roads,
thrilling driving and some of the best meat I have ever had. If
you're hellbent on adrenaline-fuelled driving, the kind that makes
your face intermittently flick between wide smile and open-mouthed
terror, then The Project 8 is indeed a fantastic trio of beasts
just waiting for you to tame them.
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