Donkervoort Automobielen B.V.

Industry	Automotive
Founded	1978
Founder	Joop A. Donkervoort
Headquarters	Lelystad, Netherlands
Products	Hand-built ultra-light weight sport cars
Number of employees	20–25
Website	Donkervoort site – English homepage

Donkervoort Automobielen BV is a manufacturer of hand-built and ultra light weight sports cars based in Lelystad, Netherlands.

The car brand was founded in 1978 by Joop Donkervoort

In 1996, Donkervoort's Ford engines were replaced by Audi engines. Donkervoort's motto – "No Compromise" – means driving without any electronic aids such as ABS (Anti-lock braking system), Electronic stability program (ESP) or power steering.

Previous models

• Donkervoort S7

The first Donkervoort – the S7 – was introduced in 1978. These cars have a Ford Crossflow 1.6 liter OHV engine with 90 PS (66 kW) and a four-speed manual transmission. Top speed was 170 km/h (106 mph).

• Donkervoort S8/S8A

Introduced in late 1983, the S8 and later S8A were the first Donkervoorts of notice, with the "Eight" implying an improvement over the Lotus Seven. Of exactly the same dimensions as the Donkervoort Super Seven, these cars originally used a two-liter inline-four engine from Ford of Europe.

• Donkervoort S8AT

Responding to the need for more power, a turbocharged version of the S8 soon appeared; this car is identifiable by a profusion of various vents and openings to cool the engine.

• Donkervoort D10

This sleek, minimalist version was built in a very limited series of ten to celebrate Donkervoort's tenth anniversary in 1988. The cars lacked a spare wheel as well as a windshield, but benefitted from an enlarged (2,160 cc) version of the Ford engine with a bigger Garrett T3 turbocharger, producing 190 PS (140 kW). The last car was only built in 1994, with some of the later examples receiving Cosworth engines with up to 300 PS (221 kW).

• Donkervoort D8 Zetec (1993-1999)

From 1993 the new D8 was built, marking the continuing departure from being merely a Super Seven copy. The first D8s were the last Donkervoorts to receive Ford engines; 1.8 and 2.0-liter versions from the Zetec family.

• Donkervoort D8 Audi (1999–2008)

During 1999, Donkervoort switched from Ford to Audi's 20-valve turbocharged 1.8-liter engine, available in a variety of outputs ranging from 150 to 245 PS (110 to 180 kW).

• Donkervoort D8 Audi (E-gas) Wide Track (2003–2012)

Since 2003, the Donkervoort is equipped with the Audi 1.8T 20V E-gas turbocharged engine. In the D8, the engine is available with 150 bhp, 180 bhp, 210 bhp and 270 bhp. Thanks to its total weight of 630 kilograms, this results in an acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h between 3.8 and 5.2 seconds depending on the type.

• Donkervoort D8 270 (2008–2012)

The Donkervoort D8 270 is available since the summer of 2008. This version of the D8 series became the successor of the D8 270 RS, the limited edition that was introduced in 2005 and restricted to 25 numbered units. The D8 270 has a restyled nose and grill that refer directly to the D8 GT and accelerates from 0–100 km/h in 3.6 seconds.

This car was as one of the ten fastest production cars on Nürburgring's famous Nordschleife of 2011, at 7m 14.9s.

• Donkervoort D8 GT (2007–2012)

The Donkervoort D8 GT - introduced in 2007 - is the first closed Donkervoort. Compared to the open version of the D8, the D8 GT has entirely new front and rear suspension, increased track width by 8 centimeters, larger brakes for increased stopping power and 17-inch aluminum wheels. With a total weight of 650 kg, the D8GT is the lightest GT in the world. This is largely due to the extensive use of carbon fiber: the entire roof, the entire rear and the doors and fenders of the car are made of this material.

Current models

• Donkervoort D8 GTO (2013–present)

The Donkervoort D8 GTO is a completely new creation. The engine, a 2.5L TFSI 5-cylinder turbocharged Audi engine, has a power output of 250-280 kW (340-380PS/335-375bhp) and 450Nm of torque at 1600rpm, and the whole car weighs less than 700 kg. This low weight is due to composite materials such as the full carbon fibre body of the D8 GTO. With a power-to-weight ratio of just 1.8 kg/PS the car accelerates from 0–100 km/h in 2.8s and from 0–200 km/h in just 8.6s.

The very first GTOs were produced in a limited series of 25 Premium D8 GTOs in 2013. The production of the regular D8 GTO, available in a Touring or a Performance version, started in 2014.

• Donkervoort D8 GTO Premium (2013)

The Premium D8 GTO's were the first GTO's to be produced. After a sneak preview event introducing the D8 GTO in December 2012, existing customer were able to obtain one of these full option GTO's. The Premium D8 GTO were built as a limited series of 25 cars and had a little more power (380+ BHP) than e.g. the D8 GTO Performance.

• Donkervoort D8 GTO Bilster Berg Edition (2014–2015)

In September 2014, the Donkervoort D8 GTO broke the lap record at the German Bilster Berg Drive Resort. The 380 hp Performance version set the new record for street-legal production cars at 1 minute 46.12 seconds. To celebrate this milestone – along with the opening of a Donkervoort subsidiary at that same location that year, Donkervoort introduced the Bilster Berg Edition, which was based on the record-breaking test car and built in a limited series of just 14 cars, a number that represented the successful year 2014. Technical developments included the further development and fine-tuning in the areas of chassis and road-handling. Furthermore, this edition is easily recognisable by its dark nose section, made entirely of carbon fibre.

• Donkervoort D8 GTO RS (2016–present)

Donkervoort introduced the D8 GTO RS in October 2016 as the successor to their D8 270 RS. Donkervoort states that they have reduced the D8 GTO's drag coefficient by 20 percent. The GTO RS offers a new suspension system as an additional option, and also offers a dual-clutch automatic transmission setup.

Model overview

Vehicle	Year	Engine
S7	1978–1984	1.6 L Ford Crossflow OHV engine, 90 PS
S8	1980–1984	2.0 L Ford OHV, 103 PS (76 kW)
S8A	1985–1993	2.0 L Ford OHC, 117 PS (86 kW)
S8AT	1986–1994	Garrett T3 turbocharger, intercooler, 3 way catalytic converter, 170 PS (125 kW) as a 2.0 L engine/190 PS as a 2.2 L
D10	1988–1989	2,160 cc Ford Garrett T3 turbocharger, 190 PS (140 kW)
D8 Zetec	1993–1998	1.8 L or 2.0 L 16V Zetec engine, 140 PS (103 kW) or 160 PS (118 kW)
D8 Cosworth	1994–1998	2.0 L DOHC engine, 220 to 280 PS (206 kW)
D8 Audi (AGU)	1999–2002	Turbocharged 1.8 L Audi engine, 150-245 PS
D8 Audi (E-gas)	2003–present	Turbocharged 1.8 L Audi engine, drive by wire, 150-270 PS
D8 270 RS	2005–2007	Turbocharged 1.8 L Audi engine, drive by wire, 270 PS (199 kW)
D8 270	2008–present	Turbocharged 1.8 L Audi engine, drive by wire, 270 PS (199 kW) Special
D8 GT	2007–present	Turbocharged 1.8 L, 20-valve Audi engine, drive by wire, 270 PS (199 kW)
D8 GTO	2013–present	Turbocharged 2.5 L TFSI 5-cylinder Audi engine, 250-280 kW (340-380 PS)
D8 GTO RS	2016–present	Turbocharged 2.5 L TFSI 5-cylinder Audi engine, 284 kW (386 PS)