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From YourSITE.com Miscellaneous Features Once upon a time, a sports car was little more than an engine with seats. Bodywork was minimal, no more than necessary to protect the mechanicals and the driver. Aerodynamics weren’t even a factor. That era ended in the late 1950s, just as Colin Chapman’s Lotus 7 emerged.
The Dutch-built D8 is the latest creation of Joop Donkervoort, a gentleman racer who subscribes whole-heartedly to Mr. Chapman’s mantra of “to go faster, add lightness”. In 1978 he built his first car based on the Lotus 7 concept, the S8. The early days saw Joop handling most operations of the business, from purchasing to manufacturing to sales. The company today employs 30 people, many of whom are highly skilled craftsmen, building cars the “old fashioned” way, one at a time in a modern workshop that was built just four years ago. All Donkervoort D8s feature composite and aluminum bodywork over a tubular steel space frame. Though the D8 is road-legal in Europe, many of them spend their lives at the racetrack, either as dedicated racecars, or at the very least, weekend track toys for the well-to-do. It is no surprise then they are all fitted with integrated roll bars.
At first glance, the D8 might be confused for an original Seven, but a closer look reveals numerous detail differences. The nose cone, for instance, features a host of mesh grilles and vents, each with a specific function. The Lotus Seven certainly never had an intercooler protruding from its bodywork, but the D8 does. The view from the rear is also a dead giveaway that this is a Donkervoort, not a Lotus; a diffuser wraps upward from the chassis to help create downforce at speeds Chapman never imagined possible. The D8’s cockpit offers the bare minimum in terms of amenities. Two seats and a steering wheel are the main features, accented by a host of analog gauges to monitor such critical functions as vehicle speed and engine speed, boost and oil pressure, oil and coolant temperature, and fuel level. The only digital readout is the odometer reading, and the only audio entertainment comes courtesy of the side-mounted exhaust pipe.
Even if it’s not stuffed with the latest electronica, the dashboard of every D8 is neatly trimmed in genuine leather for a classic look. Carpets are fitted as standard, and the transmission tunnel is covered in vinyl. Seating materials range from standard cloth to full leather. The one concession to civility is the wet weather kit, consisting of removable vinyl doors and roof, none of which is all that flattering in appearance. A tonneau cover is also included, sealing off the unused half of the cockpit on solo excursions. The front suspension is classic racecar, consisting of dual wishbones, coil springs and adjustable dampers. Steering is direct and unassisted, with 3.4 turns lock to lock on the small wheel. Rear suspension follows suit, once again employing dual wishbones, in this case connected to trailing arms, coil springs and adjustable dampers. Brakes are unassisted discs at both the front and the rear. ABS is not offered, likewise for ESP and ASR. As Donkervoort states, “the driver is in control.” D8s ride on lightweight 8”x15” alloy wheels, shod with 205/50-15 tires in front, while 225/50-15 rubber is mounted in the back. These may not sound like supercar specifications, but given the Donkervoort’s feather-light status, it doesn’t take a huge contact patch to keep it on the road. Staying with a small wheel and tire package also keeps unsprung weight and rotational mass to a minimum. These all add up to a very nimble, responsive, and agile chassis.
Over the years, Donkervoorts have been fitted with various powerplants, many of them from Ford. Recent offerings have included the 1.8-liter Zetec from the Mondeo and Focus, as well as Cosworth-tuned versions. Today, however, buyers can choose from one of three different Audi 1.8T engines, ranging from 150 to 210 horsepower. The venerable Audi engine is a lively choice for the small roadster, combining intercooled turbocharging with five-valve cylinder head technology for ample torque and power throughout the rev range. Donkervoort lists the official weight of each version of the D8 at just 1380 pounds. Add a 180-pound driver, and even with the standard 150 horses, the most basic D8 is pulling just over ten pounds for every horsepower it puts out. But like the Lotus before it, the D8 is more about balance and handling prowess than outright acceleration. It goes without saying that even the most basic Donkervoort will provide a level of excitement unmatched by most conventional sports cars. Calling the hand-built D8 150 an “entry-level” model seems unfair. With its 150-horespower, turbo engine, it may be the least powerful of the Donkervoorts, but its performance is anything but basic. It’s able to reach 62 mph in just 6 seconds and climb to a terminal velocity of 125 mph. Cornering and braking are equally athletic, resembling a road-going formula car. For the driver who’s looking for a little more, there’s the D8 180. Besides the additional 30 horsepower, the 180 gets a bunch of upgraded equipment compared to the 150. For starters, the transmission is a beefier, close-ratio unit to deal with the added torque. The powertrain combo shaves a full second of the 150’s 0-62 time, and is good for more than 130 on the open road.
More serious brakes are fitted as well. The front discs, for instance, benefit from internal venting. Standard-spec discs are replaced by specially hardened rotors, which are also slotted for better gas dispersion under extreme conditions. The cockpit also benefits from numerous upgrades. Cloth seat upholstery is replaced with top quality leather, as is the vinyl tunnel cover over the transmission. The roll bar tubing is finished in polished stainless steel, rather than the black painted steel of the standard model. Aluminum takes the place of plastic on the shift knob and park brake lever. Buyers are also given a choice of carpet colors for their 180, as opposed to the Henry Ford rule on the 150- any color you want, as long as it’s black. If 180 horsepower isn’t quite enough to catapult 1600 pounds of car and driver, there’s always the D8 210. The D8 210 is even better prepared for serious driving. The limited-slip diff that is optional on other D8s is standard on the 210. There is also a separate oil cooler, the bottom of the engine compartment is dressed with a fairing to aid in aerodynamics, and the brakes get additional cooling in the form of cross-drilled rotors. The 210 is the animal of the Donkervoort family. Sixty-two miles per hour comes in just three seconds. The top speed of 145 mph is more a factor of ancient aerodynamics than mechanical limitations. That 145 must feel like 200 though, considering only a few precious inches and a thin skin of aluminum stand between your ass and the asphalt. The beauty of buying a Donkervoort is that you can pretty much order it the way you want it. An extensive options list includes such treats as custom color combinations, chrome trim, white gauge faces, and carbon fiber fenders. The only limiting factor may be your budget. Pricing for standard D8s starts around $52,000 (€41,000) and can climb to around $105,000 (€82,500).
Those owners who still want more power can thank Joop Donkervoort for his decision to use the Audi 1.8T as the source of the D8’s motivation. The 1.8T not only delivers enviable performance in stock form, but can easily be tuned for considerable more power by simply changing the ECU programming for more boost and more aggressive ignition and fueling. Even a conservatively chipped 1.8T can deliver 250 reliable horsepower. That works out to just over six pounds for each pony, making a D8 a true road rocket.
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