Donkervoort F22 Debuts With 500 HP and Svelte 1,700-Pound Curb Weight
Replacing the outgoing G8 GTO, the new Donkervoort F22 has one of the most impressive power-to-weight ratios around.
Many automotive enthusiasts are familiar with Donkervoort, an outfit that gave us the D8 GTO over a decade ago. It was obviously time for something new, and that’s precisely what the company has come up with – the Donkervoort F22, which is the very first new product to emerge from its coffers since Denis Donkervoort took over as Managing Director in January 2021. Designed in-house by a team led by Jordi Wiersma and mentored by world-leading designer Amko Leenarts, the Donkervoort F22 is a true featherweight yet impressively powerful sports car that bucks virtually every automotive trend out there at the moment.
In spite of the fact that the F22 represents a clean-sheet design from the ground up, it presents a shape that makes it instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with Donkervoort – long hood, aggressive lines, side exhaust, and exposed wheels, giving it a modern street rod appearance. Other notable exterior features include a removable carbon fiber roof and butterfly doors, giving owners the option for some open-air cruising, as well as a rather showy feature commonly found in sports cars.
Donkervoort went to great lengths to upgrade the interior of the F22 over its predecessor, which is larger and fitted with custom, lightweight Recaro seats, six-point harnesses, and a simple design that utilizes a digital instrument cluster and an iPad as an infotainment system. With a 10.5 cubic-foot capacity trunk, it’s also pretty practical for couples looking to take a road trip in their new sporty roadster.
The “sport” in sports car comes from a turbocharged Audi 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine that generates 492 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque, which is roughly 50 horsepower and pound-feet more than its predecessor. That power flows to the rear wheels via five-speed manual gearbox and a Torsen limited-slip differential. Thanks to its curb weight of just 1,653 pounds, the F22 rockets to 62 mph in just 2.5 seconds, while top speed comes in at 180. For those that like to carve corners, the F22 will also offers an impressive 2.15g of lateral acceleration.
Those that are interested in purchasing a Donkervoort F22 will want to act quickly, as 50 of the 75 units planned for production are already spoken for. Available in the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, pricing starts out at $258,266, with deliveries expected to begin next month.
Photos: Donkervoort
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