By: Dave Abrahams
Lelystad, the Netherlands - If you think the Donkervoort D8 GTO-RS looks like a Lotus Seven on steroids, you're not far out.
Joop Donkervoort got into the car business in 1978, building continuation versions of Colin Chapman's iconic kit car, much like Caterham in England and Birkin in South Africa.
His original S7 used the traditional 1.6-litre Ford cross-flow engine and a four-speed manual box, and was good for 170km/h. The S7 soon became the S8 with a two-litre engine, later enlarged to 2.2 litres with a Garret turbocharger, and the final versions were tweaked by Cosworth to deliver in excess of 220kW. On an all-up weight of about 650kg, their performance was phenomenal.
But that was as far as the Ford Zetec engine could be pushed, so the 1999 D8 came out with a 1.8-litre Audi TFSI turbopetrol four rated for 180kW, uprated in 2003 to 199kW.
That was followed in 2013 by the current D8 GTO, boasting 280kW from a 2.5-litre, five-cylinder Audi TFSI - and still weighing less than 700kg, thanks to full carbon-fibre bodywork.
With a power-to-weight ratio of almost 300kW per ton, it'll hit 100 from a standing start in 2.8 seconds, 200 in less than nine, and it'll scoot around the Nurburgring in less than 7m20s.
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This angry-looking roadster, however, is the even more potent D8 GTO-RS. Just how much more potent, Donkervoort isn't saying, but Audi quotes 294kW for the new TT-RS which has an uprated version of the same engine.
The D8 GTO-RS is also known to been the recipient of some input from Bosch, including launch control, a double-clutch function and EU6 certification, which implies new ECU mapping at the very least. Expect fireworks.
The RS' suspension has been revised for a wider track, to provide better grip on the front wheels, the brakes have been uprated and the front-end styling revised for improved aerodynamics. The cabin has also been restyled for a more upmarket look and feel, including a new carbon-fibre centre tunnel.
And yes, the RS is fully street-legal throughout the EU. Dunno about the States, though.
Just 40 examples of the Donkervoort D8 GTO-RS will be made, at a starting price of €151 173 (R2.6 million) excluding taxes. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in mid-2016, and 21 of the cars are already sold.
IOL