It could become the fastest SUV in the world

Lister has come back with one hell of a bang in 2018, as its order books are now bursting with customers desperate to get their hands on its brand new tuned F-Type called the 'Thunder'. Now, to add another feather to its Jaguar-based cap, Lister has announced that it will be giving the F-Pace SUV the same savage treatment, calling it the 'Lightning'.

This anouncement is off the back of the company selling £3.1 million worth of Lister Thunders within 24 hours of its release - a remarkable feat for the Cambridge firm.

Speaking to Top Gear, Lister CEO Lawrence Whittaker said that a 1000bhp hypercar from the company wasn't out of the question, emulating the history paved by the Lister Storm of the '90s. But in order to bankroll such a project, the tuning of Jaguar's F-Pace is now promising solution.

Jag is yet to build an F-Pace SVR, so Lister could be beating them to it. Jag is yet to build an F-Pace SVR, so Lister could be beating them to it.

“I think it’s something we can do a really good job of. The likes of Overfinch don’t focus on engine mods anymore. We focus on making cars as fast as humanly possible. We want to be tuning every element.”

The Thunder has been unbelievably popular after its reveal yesterday. The Thunder has been unbelievably popular after its reveal yesterday.

That sounds like one hell of an ethos; a mindset that is rarely seen in automakers these days. And for such a small firm in the South of the UK to be taking on the likes of Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo and Land Rover in the super SUV sector adds to the fighting talk from the firm.

190mph is the current pace set by the Urus, and the Alfa Stelvio Quadrifoglio holds the Nordschleife lap record for SUVs, but the Lightning won't be left wanting for performance considering the tuning plans.

Has a racing car ever looked better than the Newcastle United Lister Storm? Has a racing car ever looked better than the Newcastle United Lister Storm?

Lister has said the Lightning will feature the same powertrain as the Thunder, meaning 666bhp and 719lb ft of torque - numbers that see the F-Type-based specimen up to a claimed 208mph. Add in the weight of the F-Pace and that top speed will obviously drop, but the Lister should have 25bhp on the Urus once released.

The Lightning would certainly be a money maker for Lister and it makes us froth at the mouth to think where that money could then go. A bespoke hypercar to emulate the Storm? It would possibly be a car to press on where the Jaguar C-X75 concept left off, putting it in amongst the hypercar holy trinity.

Could Lister give new life to a Jaguar-based hypercar? Could Lister give new life to a Jaguar-based hypercar?

We're massively excited as to where Lister plans to go and we'll be keeping up closely with its progress into the future.