Donkervoort F22 Debuts With A 492-HP Audi Engine, Weighs 1,650 Pounds

The newest supercar from Donkervoort is here. It’s called the F22, but it’s not named after the fifth-generation stealth fighter used by the United States Air Force. It’s actually named for CEO Denis Donkervoort’s firstborn daughter Filippa, who arrived on May 22, 2022. And while it may resemble the company’s D8 GTO, there isn’t a single nut, bolt, or body panel that carries over. This is a new supercar for a new era.

It earns supercar status with a power-to-weight ratio of 666 horsepower per metric ton. That’s better than a Bugatti Veyron, and it comes courtesy of an Audi-sourced 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five tuned to make 492 horsepower (367 kilowatts). That power goes to just the rear wheels the old-fashioned way, namely a five-speed manual transmission that connects 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 isn’t built for pure speed.

The aforementioned engine isn’t the only reason for the impressive power-to-weight ratio. Keeping mass to a minimum was critical to Donkervoort for the F22’s development, and the result is a road-legal two-seater weighing 1,653 pounds. The chassis fuses thin-wall tubular steel with carbon fiber, creating a car with double the rigidity of the outgoing D8 GTO. This also sharpens the steering and handling, allowing the wide Nankang tires (18-inch in front, 19-inch at the back) to grip paved surfaces with fierce conviction. Donkervoort claims the F22 can pull 2.15g in turns.

When it’s time to stop, steel brakes with 4-piston calipers offer 1.2g of deceleration. Be ready to work that pedal though, because the F22’s brakes do not have power assist. For that matter, servo assistance for the rack and pinion steering is optional. As such, you won’t find any kind of stability control systems, but there are adjustable traction control settings. The independent suspension has an optional hydraulic system to raise the car 35 millimeters for clearing speed bumps, but otherwise, it’s very much an analog car in a digital world.

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That even holds true for the interior, where an integrated iPad infotainment system is optional. The driver has a small digital display for instrumentation, and there are just a few buttons around the shifter to manage various systems. Carbon fiber roof panels lift out manually and are stored in the back. Recaro seats have available six-point harnesses that are approved for both road and track use. And yes, it has butterfly doors.

It also has a starting price in Europe of €245,000, and there’s a comprehensive list of options that can easily add another €100,000 to the total. It’s certainly an inexpensive two-seater, but the automaker sold out its initial planned run of 50 cars before this debut took place. Another 25 will be made, bringing the total run to 75 cars and they will be available in various markets around the globe. Deliveries begin in January 2023.