The new F-Type is the most gorgeous thing to come out of the Jaguar design studio in a decade. So how could you possibly improve it? Rip out the heavy convertible top, make it a single-seater speedster, and wrap the whole thing in acres of carbon fiber.

That’s what the Project 7 Concept delivers — a modern take on the classic, knee-weakeningly gorgeous D-Type built to commemorate Jag’s seven 24 Hours of Le Mans wins.

From the side, you can see the similarities. The raised fin behind the driver’s head is a stylistic nod to the all-conquering D, as is the chopped and raked slit of a windshield. Carbon fiber is sprinkled liberally around the exterior and interior, with the lightweight weave used for the front splitter, rear diffuser, side skirts, mirrors, and even the aero-inserts on the 20-inch wheels.

The basic chassis and drivetrain is the same thing you’d get if you snagged a 2014 F-Type, including a supercharged 5.0-liter V8. But that snorting eight gets a 54 horsepower kick to deliver 550 ponies and 502 pound-feet of torque, good for a 4.1-second run to 60 mph and a top speed of 186 mph.

At that speed, it’s a good thing Jaguar includes a helmet that mounts where the passenger seat would normally reside. And the carbon fiber driver seat sits 30mm closer to the floor to keep wind flowing and weight down low.

But here’s the most insane stat: The team at Jaguar managed to bring the Project 7 from a vision in design director Ian Callum’s head to a fully drivable concept in less than four months.

“When you look at this car… it’s just full of desire,” says Callum. “You can see that its sole purpose is to be enjoyed.”

And it will be enjoyed. The Project 7 is making its debut at this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, the premier concours event in the U.K., where it will join hundreds of classic, modern, limited edition, and automotive exotica running up the Earl of March’s driveway/hill-climb.

Photos and video courtesy of Jaguar