The Donkervoort D8 GT is the hottest street car I ever drove.
That car had 300 ps, this has around another hundred extra.
Officially, it has 380 ps, though they say that to not upset Audi.
This engine from the TT RS actually produces 400 ps.
In the TT RS Plus, up to 360 ps.
This is the D8 GTO. The prototype, without TCS or ESP.
The 2.5 5-cylinder didn't fit just like that.
The chassis had to be rebuilt to make it fit.
It's 10 cm wider and 5 cm higher compared to the previous D8.
The engine gets a different exhaust manifold and flywheel.
The Donkervoort treatment makes the engine 25 kg lighter, too.
695 kg and 380 ps make for 1,83 kg for each ps.
Surely that has to be violent?
It's very violent! Driving a Donkervoort is quite an experience.
You sit very low, I fear my behind might get burned.
And the noise this engine makes, it's amazing!
The turbo screams like a little girl losing her toy.
Then there's a roar, which sounds quite different from the TT RS.
This sounds like a race car, though still like a 5-cylinder, too. Great!
Shift up just before 7000 rpm. You get this short 'click.'
Shifting in a Donkervoort is really nice, though heavy.
You want everything to be direct and feel it all.
There she is again, the little girl in front.
Donkervoort chose a 5-speed 'box. A 6-speed is more complicated.
It's a great 'box. Be sure to use 2nd to do a 0-100 kph run.
Then you can do that in 2.8 seconds. In 1st, you have to shift.
Then it takes 3.3 seconds. 0-200 kph takes 8.6 seconds.
A Nissan GT-R would lose. Just cars like the LaFerrari go faster.
Don't take the highway with this. Visit a track or bendy roads.
You can't really talk with the roof down. You drive this for fun.
The car is really stiff and made of steel, kevlar and composite.
They make their own carbon-fibre. This door only weighs 980 grams.
This car is really light and stiff, and built around the engine and you.
What amazes me: 700 kg, nearly 400 ps and no TCS.
Yet it's very manageable. You can get TCS, but I wouldn't.
Don't take it out in the wet. But it's amazing how well this car drives.
You can see how you steer and be very precise.
There is a bit of roll though, which you wouldn't expect from this.
After driving this for 30 mins, it starts to really impress you.
Then it starts to grow on you. And it's made in the Netherlands!
There she goes again!
I asked founder Joop Donkervoort something the other day.
When you started back in 1978, would you think about a car with 400 ps?
And Joop said: we went from 80 to 110 ps, that took a few years.
One journalist said: this will get dangerous, 80 ps is enough.
This GTO shows anything is possible. An amazing feat.