Donkervoort D8 GTO-JD70 2020 review

Опубликованно 21.08.2020 23:51

What is it?

When, as a young man, Joop Donkervoort began importing the Lotus Seven to mainland Europe, he hit a problem. It wasn’t road legal, so he had to make some minor alterations. It would appear that in the intervening 42 years, he hasn’t stopped.

This is the Donkervoort D8 GTO-JD70, built to celebrate Joop’s 70th birthday and hence restricted to 70 examples. It’s based on the regular D8 GTO, which, beyond being a roadster with its engine in front of its occupants and rear-wheel drive, has moved on quite a lot further from that Lotus than the Caterham Seven has in the intervening decades. What's it like?

The JD70 feels really nicely put together. Engineering isn’t left on display in quite the same fashion as in an Ariel, but the finish is terrific. You can specify various carbonfibre weaves, and they look great.   Should I buy one?

So why don’t the British – a nation so fond of low-volume sports cars that Donkervoort comes to our shores to find some suppliers – buy Donks in, well, any quantity?  

One, they’re left-hand-drive-only, which is perhaps less of a concern than two: the JD70’s €163,600 pre-tax price means it costs ?176,730.  

Категория: Автоновости