Donkervoort
Encyclopedia
Donkervoort Automobielen BV is a manufacturer of authentic hand-built and ultra light weight sports cars based in Lelystad
in The Netherlands
. This car brand was founded in 1978 by Joop Donkervoort.
In 1996, Donkervoort's Ford engine
s were replaced by Audi
engines. Donkervoorts motto - "No Compromise" - means driving without any electronic aids such as ABS (Anti-lock braking system
), Electronic stability program (ESP) or power steering.
The S8 and S8A were the first Donkervoorts, with the "Eight" implying an improvement over the Lotus Seven
. The cars originally used a two-liter inline-four engine from Ford of Europe.
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.
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. The last car was only built in 1994, with some of the later examples receiving Cosworth engines with up to 300 PS.
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 kilogram, this results in an acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h between 3,8 and 5,2 seconds depending on the type.
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. 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 of 2011 one of the ten fastest production cars on the famous Nurburgring Nordschleife at 7m14.9s.
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 wheel suspension, increased in track width by 8 centimer, larger brakes are applied for maximum delay and 17-inch aluminum wheels are fitted. With a total weight of 650 kg, the D8GT is the lightest GT in the world. This is mainly thanks to the use of carbon
fiber: the entire roof, the entire rear and the doors and fenders of the car are made of this material.
Lelystad
Lelystad is a municipality and a city in the centre of the Netherlands, and it is the capital of the province of Flevoland. The city, built on reclaimed land, was founded in 1967 and was named after Cornelis Lely, who engineered the Afsluitdijk, making the reclamation possible...
in The Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. This car brand was founded in 1978 by Joop Donkervoort.
In 1996, Donkervoort's Ford engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
s were replaced by Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
engines. Donkervoorts motto - "No Compromise" - means driving without any electronic aids such as ABS (Anti-lock braking system
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
), Electronic stability program (ESP) or power steering.
Previous models
- Donkervoort S8/S8A
The S8 and S8A were the first Donkervoorts, with the "Eight" implying an improvement over the Lotus Seven
Lotus Seven
The Lotus Seven is a small, simple, lightweight two-seater open-top sports car produced by Lotus Cars between 1957 and 1972....
. The 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. The last car was only built in 1994, with some of the later examples receiving Cosworth engines with up to 300 PS.
Current models
- Donkervoort D8 Audi (E-gas) Wide Track (2003 - present)
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 kilogram, 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 - present)
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. 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 of 2011 one of the ten fastest production cars on the famous Nurburgring Nordschleife at 7m14.9s.
- Donkervoort D8 GT (2007 - present)
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 wheel suspension, increased in track width by 8 centimer, larger brakes are applied for maximum delay and 17-inch aluminum wheels are fitted. With a total weight of 650 kg, the D8GT is the lightest GT in the world. This is mainly thanks to the use of carbon
Carbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
fiber: the entire roof, the entire rear and the doors and fenders of the car are made of this material.
Model Overview
| Vehicle | Year | Engine |
|---|---|---|
| S7 | 1978–1984 | 1,6 litre Ford OHV engine, 128 bhp |
| S8 | 1985–1989 | 2 litre Ford OHC, 110 bhp |
| S8A | 1985–1993 | 2 litre Ford OHC, 117 bhp |
| S8AT | 1986–1994 | Garrett Garrett AiResearch Garrett AiResearch was a manufacturer of turboprop engines and turbochargers, and a pioneer in numerous aerospace technologies. It was previously known as Aircraft Tool and Supply Company, Garrett Supply Company, AiResearch Manufacturing Company, or simply AiResearch... T3 turbocharger Turbocharger A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance... , intercooler Intercooler An intercooler , or charge air cooler, is an air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange device used on turbocharged and supercharged internal combustion engines to improve their volumetric efficiency by increasing intake air charge density through nearly isobaric cooling, which removes... , 3 way catalytic converter Catalytic converter A catalytic converter is a device used to convert toxic exhaust emissions from an internal combustion engine into non-toxic substances. Inside a catalytic converter, a catalyst stimulates a chemical reaction in which noxious byproducts of combustion are converted to less toxic substances by dint... , 170 bhp as a 2.0 L engine/ 190 bhp as a 2.2 L |
| D10 | 1988–1989 | 2.160 cc Garrett T3 Garrett AiResearch Garrett AiResearch was a manufacturer of turboprop engines and turbochargers, and a pioneer in numerous aerospace technologies. It was previously known as Aircraft Tool and Supply Company, Garrett Supply Company, AiResearch Manufacturing Company, or simply AiResearch... turbocharger, 190 bhp |
| D8 Zetec | 1993–1998 | 1.8 litre or a 2.0 litre 16V Zetec engine, 140 bhp or 160 bhp |
| D8 Cosworth | 1994–1998 | 2.0 litre DOHC engine, 220 to 280 bhp |
| D8 Audi (AGU) | 1999–2002 | turbocharged 1.8 L Audi engine, 150-245 bhp, |
| D8 Audi (E-gas) | 2003–present | |turbocharged 1.8 L Audi engine, drive by wire Drive by wire Drive-by-wire, DbW, by-wire, or x-by-wire technology in the automotive industry replaces the traditional mechanical control systems with electronic control systems using electromechanical actuators and human-machine interfaces such as pedal and steering feel emulators... , 150-270 bhp, |
| D8 270 RS | 2005–2007 | |turbocharged, 1.8 L Audi engine, drive by wire, 270 bhp |
| D8 270 | 2008–present | |turbocharged, 1.8 L Audi engine, drive by wire, 270 bhp Special |
| D8 GT | 2007–present | |turbocharged, 1.8 L, 20v Audi engine, drive by wire, 270 bhp |