Its performance data should set the Donkervoort F22 apart from the competition: a rear-wheel drive with a five-cylinder turbo engine, 640 Newton meters of torque, 500 hp and acceleration from a standing start to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds. With a vehicle weight of just 750 kilograms, the sports coupé, which is around four meters long and 1.11 meters high, develops around 0.7 hp per kilogram of weight.
In addition, the Dutch sports car manufacturer does not use a hybrid or electric drive in order to “avoid the hundreds of kilograms,” they say. For the same reason, the hypercar with the long bonnet and scissor doors also relies on a five-speed gearbox instead of six or seven gears. For further weight reduction, the vehicle is only optionally available with power steering and electric air conditioning. The interior is also kept quite simple. The number of controls is manageable, an iPad should serve as a “mini infotainment system”. Racing seats and sports belts, among other things, are intended to ensure that sports car feeling.
In addition, the F22 has a three-piece, removable carbon fiber roof, hydraulic height adjustment that can lower or raise the car by up to 35 millimeters, and active suspension. After all, the two-seater convertible is said to be “the lightest street-legal super sports car in the world”.
Tubular steel, aluminum and carbon fiber are said to make the chassis robust. The chassis rigidity is said to be twice as high compared to the previous model, the D8 GTO, which received European small series type approval in 2013. The F22 should meet all relevant crash regulations and, due to the weight savings, dispense with heavy airbags. A racing ABS system is only available as an option.
The hypercar presented in December was originally supposed to roll off the assembly line 75 times. A few days ago, however, the manufacturer announced that it would expand production by 25 more vehicles. Production should also continue until mid-2025, which according to plans should actually end at the end of 2024. With a total of 100 units, however, the F22 should remain a true rarity.
“We are in an unprecedented situation at Donkervoort and it is a testament to the design and engineering teams behind the F22 that the demand is so great,” said Denis Donkervoort, Managing Director of Donkervoort recently in a press release. The five-year development period is obviously paying off.
And the Dutch pay well for their work. The F22 starts at a purchase price of 245,000 euros without taxes. The car is available in all markets, such as the USA, Europe and the Middle East – but only on the Internet and provided you get one of the limited vehicles. According to the company, the first vehicles have already been delivered to their customers.
