To celebrate the 70th birthday of its company founder, Joop Donkervoort, Dutch firm Donkervoort Automobielen is launching a special edition version of its lightweight D8 GTO sports car. Dubbed the Donkervoort D8 GTO-JD70, the limited-edition track car is powered by the same 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine as the Audi TT RS, uprated to 415 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque and paired with a close-ratio five-speed manual gearbox that sends power to the rear wheels.

More than 95 percent of the D8 GTO-JD70's bodywork is made from carbon-fiber, which brings the car's weight down to under 1,543 pounds. As a result, 0-62 mph is achieved in just 2.7 seconds and 0-124 mph takes 7.7 seconds before the JD70 maxes out at 174 mph.

What makes the D8 GTO-JD70 even more special is that Donkervoort claims this is the " first 2G super sports car." Impressively, this means the JD70 is capable of exceeding 2G of lateral acceleration (cornering force) on standard road tires. Yes, despite its extreme cornering capabilities being suited to track driving, the JD70 is road legal. It also generates acceleration forces of 1.02G. To make the JD70 easier to tame, electronic power steering can be optionally installed for the first time.

To increase its strength and reduce weight, the JD70 combines a tubular steel ladder frame with carbon-fiber and aluminum. The wide-track suspension system features a double-wishbone layout at each corner. Three-way adjustable Intrax dampers are also mounted to each corner.

"The JD70 has moved beyond the normal measures for acceleration and braking and we're using G forces now, but the car is still a pure driver's machine like nothing else on the market," said Donkervoort Automobielen managing director Denis Donkervoort.

"The JD70 is the distillation of everything we know and everything we've learned on the road and the racetrack, from track days and from customer talks and, of course, from Joop's own ideas on what a supercar should be to its driver. Donkervoort has worked to deliver a supercar for people who ache for the heightened senses and the purity of unfiltered driving experiences, and the JD70 has been designed to allow drivers to form an unshakeable bond with their machines."

Production of the JD70 will be limited to just 70 units, representing each year of its company founder's life so far. Pricing will start at €163,636 ($185,193), with first deliveries starting this month.