Lelystad, 29th June 2005 – Lap records around Germany’s Nordschleife Nürburgring are highly contested and debated. Recently, a very upgraded Donkervoort D8, laden with a turbocharger and huge rear wing, made history by beating the lap record for a production car. This record was quite controversial at the time, as Donkervoort hadn’t released a road car like their ring car – until now.
First previewed at the AutoRAI held in February, the D8 270 RS is a road going copy of the Nürburgring record setter. It will be built in a limited edition of 25 cars, and so far most have been spoken for.
Netherlands-based Donkervoort create supercars that could be described as a modern Lotus 7s, a car first built in the 1950s that became popular due to its race-bred minimalism, lightweight aluminum body and incredible power-to-weight ratio. However, the D8 270 RS takes the Lotus 7 theme one step further by introducing a turbocharged Audi 1.8T 20V that produces 270 horsepower. Combined with an extremely light, ‘no frills’ chassis, the D8 270 RS produces over 400 bhp per tonne!
No wonder this Donkervoort beat the Porsche Carrera GT time of 7:32 by 15 fifteen seconds. Now the Sport Auto Nürburgring record is in the hands of Joop Donkervoort with a time of 7:18.01. He says this feat was possible due to “the special configuration of the suspension and the enormously stiff chassis of the 270 RS”.
The D8 270 RS distiguishes itself from the other D8 models with a modified nose with larger ventilation openings and an extra radiator at the side of the car. These modifications were necessary to provide the car with sufficient cooling both on the racetrack and on public roads.
Donkervoort say the 270 RS is capable of 0 to 100 kph in less than 4 seconds and can stop from 100 km to a standstill in just 2.4. Is this the fastest production car ever made? It just might be. While the 270 doesn’t beat an Ultima GTR in a straight line, it has proven its ‘king of the ring’ status.
Story by Richard Owen for Supercars.net
In Detail
| engine | Front Longitudinal |
| aspiration | Turbocharger w/Intercooler |
| power | 201.3 kw / 270 bhp |
| bhp/weight | 415.38 bhp per tonne |
| f brake size | mm / in |
| r brake size | mm / in |
| f suspension | Double Wishbones |
| r suspension | Double Wishbones |
| curb weight | 650 kg / 1433 lbs |
| transmission | Borg Marner 5-Speed Manual |
| gear ratios | :1 |
| 0 – 60 mph | ~3.9 seconds |
Keyword: c