Donkervoort

Donkervoort prepares to end its D8 GTO family in style! The Dutch company announced the new D8 GTO Individual Series - a special D8 GTO that is, in fact, a little bit more than just a special edition supercar. In fact, the new Individual Series is about offering customers the possibility to customize the car based on their exact specifications, and only the sky and the law is the limit!

The Individual Series was designed in cooperation with Abt Sportsline and transforms the D8 GT0 into a better looking, more powerful, and faster machine.

The Donkervoort D8 is not everyone’s cup of tea, but those who do find the retro-styled, road-legal roadster saucy will be thrilled to know that the company’s new flagship model, the D8 GT0-JD70, has a special edition alter ego called the Bare Naked Carbon Edition. As its name so eloquently states, the Donkervoort D8 GTO-JD70 Bare Naked Carbon Edition is defined by all the bare carbon fiber that you can see all over its body. There are options on how you want your special edition D8 GTO-JD70, but all options revolve around the central carbon fiber theme of the model. Visually, the D8 GTO-JD70 Bare Naked Carbon Edition looks splendid in carbon fiber. But the model’s uniqueness is defined by more than just its aesthetic design; the use of carbon fiber also reduces the model’s overall weight, making it more sprightly than your typical range-topping D8 GTO-JD70. Only 70 units of the special edition D8 GTO-JD70 will be built. Pricing starts at €163,636.36, and that’s before taxes kick in. Over half of all units are spoken for, and, unfortunately, none of these bad boys are headed to the U.S. market.

Those familiar with the work of Dutch outfit Donkervoort know that the company borders on the extreme with its go-fast machines. In fact, there’s no better preacher to that creed than the D8 GTO-JD70, an anniversary edition that honors the founder of Donkervoort, Joop Donkervoort, who just turned 70.

Lightweight sports car manufacturer Donkervoort is celebrating the 70th anniversary of its founder, Joop Donkervoot, by releasing the D8 GTO-JD70, a limited edition version of the D8 GTO that the automaker says is capable of pulling “more than 2G of lateral acceleration in corners, even in its standard trim and on its standard tires.” As exciting as that sounds, not everyone will get the chance to own the D8 GTO-JD70. Production is limited to just 70 units with each model priced at €163,636 before taxes. That converts to around $182,000 based on current exchange rates. Those lucky enough to score one of the 70 available units will get their hands on their limited edition rides beginning in the spring of 2020.

The Netherlands isn’t exactly the first place you look to if you’re in the market for a sports car. But even if the country isn’t particularly known for building and developing hell-raising performance models, the Dutch sports car cupboard isn’t completely barren. That’s thanks in part to Donkervoort, the Lelystand-based manufacturer of authentic and ultra lightweight sports cars. Donkervoort isn’t a big automaker by any means; it’s model lineup consists of just the D8 GTO. But where it lacks in model variety, it more than makes up for with the D8 GTO-RS, a souped up version of the open-wheel sports car that packs improved performance characteristics.

The D8 GTO-RS is limited to just 40 units, but given the overwhelmingly positive reception of the car, Donkervoort decided to expand the range with a pair of special edition versions, namely the D8 GTO-RS Bare Naked Carbon Edition and the D8 GTO-RS Race Edition.

Both models come in extremely limited numbers as the Bare Naked Edition will be limited to just 15 units while the Race Edition will only have 10 units available. Each variant will also come with features unique to itself, hence the decision to differentiate one variant from the other.

The good news is that both the Bare Naked Edition and the Race Edition are D8 GTO-RS models at heart. That means that, among other things, they come with a tuned version of Audi’s 2.5-litre, five-cylinder engine. The Dutch automaker didn’t say how much power these SE D8 GTO-RS models have at their disposal, but considering that the five-cylinder is capable of producing 400 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque, it wouldn’t be impossible for both models to have similar numbers.

Whatever the case may be, these two special edition D8 GTO-RS units are performance cars at their core. That should be more than enough to convince people of their capabilities in and out of the race track.

Continue after the jump to read more about the Donkervoort D8 GTO-RS Special Editions.

Introduced in 1957, the iconic Lotus Seven was rebadged as a Caterham in 1973, when newly founded Caterham Cars purchased the rights to the design. The British firm continued to improve the model, making it both lighter and more powerful, but the styling has remained practically unchanged over the last four decades. However, there is one company that has completely redesigned the old Lotus Seven, giving it a more modern appearance and a turbocharged engine. It goes by the name Donkervoort, it is based in the Netherlands, and has been making Seven-based sports cars since 1978.

Donkervoort’s latest iteration is called the D8 GTO. Launched in 2013 with an

sourced engine that can deliver as much as 380 PS (375 horsepower), the GTO has spawned many special-edition models in three years, and it’s set to receive three versions by the end of 2016, one of which is the GTO-RS. Described as the "ultimate D8 GTO," the RS will not only feature redesigned front and rear ends, but it will also be slightly larger and more powerful than any other Donkervoort unleashed to date.

Details are scarce as of this writing and specific information will probably be announced closer to its launch this summer, but Donkervoort has released photos of the GTO-RS and is already taking orders for the new sports car. Find out more about it below and stay tuned for updates.

Continue reading to learn more about the Donkervoort D8 GTO-RS.

When Colin Chapman built the Lotus Seven in 1957, he basically invented the no-nonsense, super-lightweight, road-legal sports car concept. Decades later, Caterham bought the rights to the car and took the Seven to the next level by making it even lighter and faster. However, there’s a certain company that has taken the concept to new heights in terms of technology and horsepower. It’s called Donkervoort and it’s famous for building some of the most extreme Sevens since the late 1970s. The Dutch brand is still at it and its latest product is dubbed the D8 GTO 1000 Miglia Edition. Unfortunately, we can’t have it here in the U.S.

As the name suggests, it is based on the 2012 Donkervoort D8 GTO, Donkervoort’s newest and most powerful Seven-based sports car. Also, it’s a tribute to the Mille Miglia, the famous open-road endurance race which took place in Italy 24 times between 1927 and 1957.

Donvervoort’s tribute car might seem a bit silly given the Dutch brand has never been part of the race, but there’s nothing wrong with celebrating one of the world’s most grueling and popular motorsport events. The decision to build the 1000 Miglia Edition is actually related to the fact that the D8 GTO was invited to act as the official support car at this year’s Mille Miglia Storica, which brought together numerous classic race cars.

To celebrate what it describes as a "milestone," Donkervoort created a bespoke D8 GTO for a grand touring-like experience rather than extreme performance.

Continue reading to learn more about the Donkervoort D8 GTO 1000 Miglia Edition.

Dutch sports-car manufacturer Donkervoort has unveiled a new special edition of its D8 GTO, and it boasts a curb weight under 1,500 pounds, hits 60 mph under three seconds, and looks like Darth Vader’s personal track transport. It’s called the Bare Naked Carbon edition, and it’s an even more insane take on the high-end street-legal circuit machines we’ve seen from the automaker in the past. 

While Donkervoort has used carbon fiber extensively in previous models, the Bare Naked edition is almost purely composed of the composite material. It’s the kind of direction you’d expect from Donkervoort, given the company’s obsession with cutting weight and simplifying design. Only the best bits for creating low lap times remain on the car, each done with meticulous attention to detail. It’s the sort of philosophy that redefines the meaning of superfluous.

For over 36 years, Donkervoort has been hand-building cars with the ethos of “no nonsense and no compromise.” So what’s that mean when aerospace-grade carbon fiber is treated like common printer paper? Read on the find out.

Continue reading to learn more about the Donkervoort D8 GTO Bare Naked Carbon Edition.

Donkervoort’s latest offering in terms of ultra-lightweight sports cars was the 2012 D8 GTO, arguably the most impressive model to ever come out of the Dutch factory’s gates. Largely based on the D8 GT, the super sports model is powered by the awesome-sounding inline-five from the Audi TT-RS and RS3 that offers between 340 and 380 horsepower while only needing to move roughly 1,500 pounds of vehicle. With Donkervoort celebrating the fact that it recently opened a new facility in Germany, right in the heart of the Bilster Berg Drive Resort, the Dutch carmaker will manufacture a limited-edition D8 GTO dubbed the Bilster Berg Edition.

Just 14 examples of the D8 GTO Bilster Berg Edition will be made, a number that Donkervoort says represents the success the company had in 2014. The model, which was developed on the Bilster Berg circuit itself and earned the best lap time on the circuit, features a number of updates compared to the regular model. In theory, this should make it the top-of-the-range model in an otherwise petite lineup.

Updated 01/06/2015: After a first teaser image revealed last week, Donkervoort released the official specs and details on the D8 GTO Bilster Berg Edition. Click past the jump for the full details.

Click past the jump to read more about the Donkervoort D8 GTO Bilster Berg Edition.

We’re all familiar with today’s Caterham Seven or the Lotus-badged, simpler sports car that preceded it. It’s a pure driver’s car suitable for both public roads and tracks, although it’s not exactly the vehicle you’d want to drive to work on a daily basis. However, if you need a no-nonsense sports car in your life, you can’t go wrong with the Seven.

You can have anything from a Suzuki-sourced, 660cc to a 2.0-liter Duratec engine under the hood. That gives it an output range from 80 ponies for street cruising to as much as 311 horsepower for quick laps around the track. Sure, 311 horses is quite a lot for a vehicle that weighs only 1,147 pounds, but the power-to-weight ratio can get even more ridiculous than that. All you have to do is head to Donkervoort, the Dutch shop that has been manufacturing its Seven-based sports cars since 1978.

Its latest creation, the D8 GTO, is unlike anything Donkervoort ever built. Sure, it resembles its predecessors, but things are completely different when it comes to the GTO’s shell and powerplant. Unlike other D8s, which came with either Ford or Audi four-bangers, the GTO comes with Ingolstadt’s famed 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine. Output ranges between 340 and 380 horsepower, more than anything Caterham has delivered so far. As if that wasn’t enough, the D8 GTO received a full carbon-fiber body that results in an insane 1,543-pound curb weight. This end is a power-to-weight ratio that rivals the initial Bugatti Veyron’s ratio. I’m talking about a supercar motivated by 987 ponies; is this amazing or what?

So how does a D8 GTO look, sound and run? You can find out in XCAR’s comprehensive review in the above video. Make sure you don’t miss it, you won’t be seeing one of these monsters on U.S. streets anytime soon.

The Donkervoort D8 GTO is nothing short of a riot. With its Audi-sourced, turbocharged five-cylinder engine and aggressive styling, the D8 GTO is breaking boundaries and expectations.

Now the D8 GTO is breaking more than mental and performance boundaries. Last week, the very first D8 GTOs were registered outside the European Union, as a pair of premium model GTOs found new homes and registration plates in Switzerland.

We brought you the news that the Donkervoort D8 GTO had received its small series-type approval, allowing it to be sold in the EU, Russia, Switzerland and the Gulf States, but it wasn’t until last week that the first GTOs actually made that journey.

The two new Swiss owners now own the keys to a two-seat roadster in the same track-day vein as the Lotus Seven, but thanks to that Audi engine, these monsters produce up to 400 horsepower.

To commemorate the occasion, the cars were personally delivered by Dennis Donkervoort.

Read more about Donkervoort and its D8 GTO after the jump.}

It’s been a couple of years since we last heard from Donkervoort and its D8 GTO sports car. But good news has finally arrived for Dutch automaker, Donkervoort Automobielen, as the D8 GTO has finally received European Small Series Type Approval.

What this means is that the D8 GTO’s production can now proceed and has been scheduled to start sometime between April and May with sales expected to stretch "throughout Europe and beyond,” including EU member states, Russia, Switzerland and the Gulf States

Anybody that has waited long and hard for the D8 GTO’s arrival can now exhale, especially the 25 specially designed models that have already been sold. They should be comforted knowing that they’re going to get quite a ride in the D8 GTO, thanks to its Audi-sourced 2.5-liter, five-cylinder turbo engine that develops roughly 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque.

Those numbers translate to a 0-to-100 km/h (62 mph) time of just three seconds with a top speed of 158 mph.

If anybody’s waited long enough to get a piece of those performance numbers, well, the wait is sure to be worth it and will soon be over.

There are a lot of things about the Netherlands that we enjoy. The milk is fantastic, the cheese is delicious, and the women, well, let’s just say that they’re true eye candies.

Now, you can add one more thing to that list: the Donkervoort D8 GTO.

First teased around the same time a year ago - took longer than expected to be revealed - the D8 GTO has finally arrived in all its fireball-ic glory. Born from the heritage of Donkervoort’s other creations - the GT and the D8 270RS, to be exact - the D8 GTO takes the reigns from its predecessors as a larger model that comes with matching performance capabilities.

The D8 GTO is the product of a collaboration between Donkervoort Automobielen and Audi Quattro GmbH and was developed for the past two-and-something years. It may have taken a while to be completed, but once you get acclimated with what the D8 GTO has to offer, you’re going to realize that the wait was well worth it.

Find out more about the Donkervoort D8 GTO after the jump.

It’s been all quiet on the Donkervoort front after the Dutch manufacturer brought out their D8 GT a couple of years ago, but they seem to be ready to come out and play with their announcement for a new D8 GTO model set to be released early next year, most likely at the future Geneva Motor Show. The GTO will be an open top version of the D8 GT and will be powered by an Audi sourced engine.

The company has already revealed a teaser image of the future car, but more details are coming in that the GTO may be built on a hybrid chassis and a carbon fiber tube frame. These are just speculations, but the concrete information is that the GTO model will be dropping the current 1.8 liter turbocharged Audi 4-cylinder engine used in the D8 GT version for another Audi engine. Donkervoort isn’t sure which one as of yet, but it’s possible that the same 200 HP 2.0 TFSI engine found in the Audi TT-S may be used. Then there’s the TT-RS’ 2.5 liter five-cylinder unit with an impressive output of 340 HP that is also a possibility.

Fresh off of an excellent season in the Dutch GT4 series Donkervoort Racing has announced that they plan to bring the D8 GT racing car to its very first endurance race run twice around the clock next January when they compete in the 2010 24 Hours of Dubai. The tube frame race car complete with carbon fiber bodywork has already proven itself in competition and is expected to do quite well at the event.

However, in order to ensure that the D8 doesn’t run itself out of the competition, Donkervoort Racing has revised the brake and fuel systems for the endurance race. Meanwhile the race car will become a bit more competitive thanks to a new rear diffuser that will provide a little more downforce for the lightweight racer. The Donkervoort Racing team has high hopes for he upcoming 24 Hour race in Dubai on January 14, 15 and 16 at the out of this world Dubai Autodrome. As a special treat for their fans, the sports car builder is extending an invitation to all owners and dealers so that they may join them at the event, however they haven’t forgotten about the folks who make things possible back at the factory in Lelystad, so they have also arranged for a very special television viewing for the hometown audience.

Press release after the jump.

Donkervoort, the Dutch manufacturer, announced that their latest project, the D8 GT goes into production. The D8 GT was unveiled as a prototype last year at the Geneva Motor Show.

The front fascia has been thoroughly overhauled, now with integrated headlamps and larger air intakes, which favors the aerodynamics of the car. The wheelbase for the D8 GT model has grown by 8 cm over the D8. The roof and the doors are entirely made of carbon, so the weight is reduced at only 650 kg.

The D8 GT production version is powered by 1.8 liter turbocharged Audi 4-cylinder engine producing 180, 210 or 270 horsepower.

It will be limited to only 50 units a year, each priced at 90,000 euro. First delivers will be ready for June 2008.

For the first time in almost 30 years of Donkervoort Cars company history, the brand is introducing a closed sports car. The D8 GT is delivered with the well-known Audi four cylinder turbo power source with 180, 210 or 270 brake horsepower. It’s expected that the D8 GT will make its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2007.
The Donkervoort D8 GT is built on the same chassis as the standard D8 but this has been altered in a number of areas. The front wheel suspension is new and (...)

Donkervoort is going to unveil the D8 GT at Geneva Motor Show in 2007. Like the D8 Roadster the GT Coupe is powered by Audi’s 1.8T 20V engine delivering 180, 210 and 270 hp.
The D8 GT is 30 cm langer than the D8 Roadster. It will feature the same ultralight chassis and suspension components, but will come with an aero kit of carbon-fiber diffusers.

At first sight a Donkervoort may look like just another Lotus Seven clone, but closer inspection will reveal that there is much more to the cycle fendered sportscar. All cars are hand built in a small facility in The Netherlands to high quality standards rarely found on the kit-cars constructed on the British side of the North Sea. The build quality is matched by the chassis’ excellent road holding and a choice of powerful four cylinder engines.
After using Ford (Cosworth) engines for many (...)