Netherlands-based carmaker Donkervoort has chosen to celebrate the 70th birthday of its founder by launching a special edition of the D8 GTO roadster. 70 cars will hit the market priced at €163,600 each.
The collector’s series is called the Donkervoort D8 GTO-JD70. Each car sports carbon-fiber bodywork and comes powered by a 2.5-liter, five-cylinder turbo engine rated at 421 hp (314 kW) and 520 Nm (386 lb-ft) of torque. The transmission is five-speed manual. Given the small weight of the car (700 kg / 1,540 lbs), the power-to-weight ratio is especially impressive at around 600 hp per metric ton (0.6 hp / kg). No acceleration times are being provided, but consider that even the much less powerful D8 GTO-40 (see video) sprints from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.7 seconds and hits its speed ceiling at 280 km/h (174 mph).
Aside from the enviable power, the anniversary roadster boasts the capability to withstand the atypically high G forces it experiences while accelerating, braking and cornering. The initial acceleration G-force exceeds 1g, but rises to 1.65 during braking with semi-slick tires and all the way up to 2g during cornering.