To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' Monterey
event, 15 - 17 August 2019.
Estimate:
$175,000 - $225,000
- One of only 250 produced
- Currently showing less than 4,800 miles
- Presented at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in 2016
- Includes matching Project 7 racing helmet
- Jaguar Certificate of Authenticity
Perhaps no car is as well associated with its maker than the Jaguar
E-Type. The touring version of the legendary D-Type race car was in
production for about a decade and a half, during which time it
cemented Jaguar's reputation for building high-performance machines
with an overarching emphasis on luxury and design. The
buttery-smooth straight-six and V-12 engines endowed the E-Type
with robust acceleration, while the sophisticated monocoque
architecture and independent suspension provided a comfortable ride
and spirited handling.
While F may follow E in the alphabet, there was a large gap between
the two Types in Jaguar's lineup. When the F-Type bowed out in 2012
at the Paris Motor Show, it kick-started Jaguar's modern
renaissance. E-Type styling cues included roadster and coupe body
styles with long hoods and short rear decks, swept-back headlights,
and a cockpit-like interior. Power at launch came from supercharged
V-6 and V-8 engines teamed initially to an eight-speed automatic
transmission and later a six-speed manual gearbox.
A 575 hp F-Type SVR designed by the company's internal hot-rodding
division arrived in 2016 with ferocious power and track-worthy
performance, but it was the F-Type Project 7 that paved the way. By
chance, Brazilian-Italian designer Cesar Pieri showed Jaguar design
chief Ian Callum a sketch for an F-Type that would honor the E-Type
in its profile and the D-Type in its detailing. The car was shown
in concept form at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance after
Callum's urging. Jaguar's SVR division greenlit the project on the
condition that its performance matched its styling. With the F-Type
SVR on the way, the Project 7 would serve as an appropriate concept
to garner interest.
Project 7 was inspired by Jaguar's historic racing past, as the
name alludes to their seven victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Three of those wins were captured by the iconic D-Type, which had
recently celebrated its 60th anniversary. Project 7 was originally
unveiled as a single-seater, open-top concept at Goodwood in 2014.
An extra seat as well as a roof were added in its final production
form.
Just 250 examples were to be built, with around 50 earmarked for
American buyers. The F-Type Project 7 is a lightweight version of
the 575 hp SVR, at least in principle. By Jaguar standards, the
F-Type Project 7 is far from subtle, although it retains a
dignified air. Gone is the SVR's all-wheel drive in favor of
drift-happy rear-wheel drive. The standard F-Type's power
convertible top was jettisoned for a traditional snap-on rain fly.
A D-Type-inspired "aero hunch" sits behind the driver to aid
aerodynamics, and the rear spoiler is fixed for improved downforce
at speed. The cars could be ordered in a handful of colors
including white, blue, and, of course, sporty British Racing
Green.
The F-Type Project 7 offered here salutes its past in traditional
and extra-cost BRG with white stripes, racing roundels, and other
unique detailing. The interior is trimmed in black diamond-stitch
leather upholstery. This example was initially celebrity-ordered
and delivered to Jaguar Nashville but ultimately acquired by and
registered with its first and current owner in California, who has
covered just 4,800 miles during his ownership. The handful of
Project 7 cars included a custom-fitted car cover, and just a few,
including this example, came with a matching Project 7 racing
helmet. The car is also offered with its factory manuals, hang
tags, a factory Certificate of Authenticity, and an additional
custom-fitted car cover.
Ultimately, Jaguar Land Rover invited this car to be displayed at
The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in 2016. The automaker later
used the car as part of a photo shoot to promote the F-Type SVR.To
view this car and others currently consigned to this auction,
please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mo19.