Donkervoort F22 will replace D8 GTO as the firm’s sole model; promises “blistering” performance and more engagement than ever.
Donkervoort will reveal a limited-run two-seater called the F22 on December 10, promised to be the lightest road-legal supercar on sale.
The Dutch manufacturer, which specialises in ultra-lightweight sports cars, said the F22 will replace the Caterham Seven-rivalling, 695kg D8 GTO, bringing to an end its nine-year run.
It claims the F22 improves on the D8 GTO’s performance by “being bigger, faster and more powerful”. It added that the car will have “blistering, engaging performance”, thanks in part to it weighing less than 800kg and an upgrade on the 280kW D8 GTO’s 2.5-litre, five-cylinder Audi-derived engine. This will also bring improved fuel efficiency, Donkervoort said, and will sit on a more rigid chassis allowing up to 2g of cornering force.
This upgrade will likely bring with it improved acceleration over the D8 GTO, which can hit 100km/h in 2.8sec and keep going all the way to 254km/h.
Away from the performance figures, one of the main upgrades the new car will have over its predecessor is improved practicality, mainly down to the hinted inclusion of a roof, as shown on preview sketches. This gives the F22 more comfort “than any Donkervoort before it”.
The sketches also tease the new car’s rakish lines, and a prominent rear diffuser coupled with a ducktail spoiler.
Donkervoort has also promised more interior space and better user-friendliness signalling a wider car than the 1.85-metre D8 GTO and a possible infotainment system.
Managing director Dennis Donkervoort said: “The F22 is first and foremost a road car, and we have prioritised driver engagement, progressive handling and driving fun over an absolute obsession with lap times – and (the car) will still be capable of very fast lap times.”
To help it achieve the fun-factor, the F22 will feature a rev-matching manual gearbox and a revised active suspension set-up for cornering prowess.
The F22 will likely cost more than its predecessor, which varies greatly depending on specification. The most expensive edition, the limited-run Donkervoort D8 GTO-JD70, cost almost $311,000 when new.
Jonathan Bryce