The newest supercar from Donkervoort is here. It is called the F22, but is not named after the fifth-generation stealth fighter used by the United States Air Force. It’s actually named after CEO Denis Donkervoort’s eldest daughter, Filippa, who arrived on May 22, 2022. And while it may resemble the company’s D8 GTO, not a single nut, bolt, or body panel has been carried over. This is a new supercar for a new era.
It earned supercar status with a power-to-weight ratio of 666 horsepower per metric tonne. That’s better than the Bugatti Veyron, and it comes from an Audi-sourced 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five that’s tuned to produce 492 horsepower (367 kilowatts). That power simply flows to the rear wheels the old-fashioned way, namely a five-speed manual transmission linked to a Torsen limited-slip differential. In skilled hands, it can reach 62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.5 seconds. Top speed is 180 mph (290 km/h), but the F22 wasn’t built for pure speed.
The aforementioned engines are not the only reason for the impressive power-to-weight ratio. Keeping mass to a minimum was essential to Donkervoort for the development of the F22, and the result is a two-seater, road-legal, weighing 1,653 pounds. The chassis combines thin-walled tubular steel with carbon fiber, creating a car with double the rigidity of the previous D8 GTO. It also sharpens steering and handling, allowing the Nankang’s wide tires (18 inches front, 19 inches rear) to grip paved surfaces with unmistakable confidence. Donkervoort claims the F22 can tow 2.15g in a turn.
When it’s time to stop, steel brakes with 4-piston calipers offer 1.2g of deceleration. Get ready to hit those pedals, because the F22’s brakes don’t have power assist. In this case, servo assist for rack and pinion steering is optional. As such, you won’t find any kind of stability control system, but there are adjustable traction control settings. The independent suspension has an optional hydraulic system to raise the car 35 millimeters to get rid of speed bumps, but otherwise it’s an analog car in a digital world.
That even applies to the interior, which is where the integrated iPad infotainment system resides optional. The driver has a small digital display for instrumentation, and there are only a few buttons around the shifter for adjusting various systems. The carbon fiber roof panels are manually lifted and stored at the rear. Recaro seats have a six-point seat belt approved for road and track use. And yes, it has a butterfly door.
It also has a starting price in Europe of €245,000, and there’s a full list of options that could easily add up to a total of €100,000. It’s certainly a cheap two-seater, but the automaker is selling the originally planned 50 cars before this debut happened. Another 25 will be built, bringing the total to 75 cars and will be available in various markets around the world. Deliveries start in January 2023.
