sports car maker Donkervoort has lightweight construction on the flags. “While other cars are electronic, bigger and heavier, we believe that we continue to drive to the purist the car and the principle of lightweight construction”, it means from the low countries. Donkervoort? Never heard of it? For 42 years the brand is screwed a Spartan model to the other – for a fan-base (see Box).
principle: the Technical gadgets, such as power steering, ESP or brake booster you are looking for in a Donkervoort in vain. Is switched to the still by Hand. The Donkervoort D8 GTO-40 is the culmination of the 40-year-old company’s history: Only 678 pounds of weight to be catapulted from 380 HP (2.5 l five-cylinder from the Audi TT RS) to the front. The result: 0 to 100 km/h in 2.7 seconds. So at the same speed as the Porsche 911 Turbo S, this however is a with 650 HP.
New form of procedure for carbon
lightweight design means today carbon. This is also the D8 GTO-40 is no different. A new technology called Ex-Core is used. This is a carbon-components with a foam core. Ten years ago, observed Donkervoort technicians randomly, such as during the lunch break, the foam-sandwich materials, with which you around whilst just, have been extended from the hot sun and in an uncontrolled manner. This led to a brainstorm: Why carbon bake as in the past, time-consuming and tedious in the desired shape presses, instead of simple use of the foam, the soft carbon fibers in the desired shape? Sounds simple, but to implement it is complicated. Finally, it needs to expand the foam in heat-controlled, and stress, and all the influences of the environment stable to keep the shape.
Donkervoort history
had Started it all 40 years ago from a disappointment out. The company’s founder, Joop Donkervoort had sought in vain to have the distribution rights to the Lotus Seven. And decided therefore, to take the things to the Hand. In the rather simple workshop Tienhoven, NL cars, like the Donkervoort S7, the refined the idea of the Lotus S7 continue to emerge since then. A number of the characteristic two-seater sports car followed, only equipped with Ford engines and, since 1999, with engines from Audi.
Less difficult and error-prone
After many years of Tests with new composite foam mixtures were the Donkervort technician, finally, to success. The foam presses the fibers with a pressure of two, eight or up to 20 bar against the carbon existing tool, depending on the desired material properties and the curing profile. So complex and convoluted carbon-components are not possible in traditional manufacturing methods is feasible. And the Ex-Core method produces in the interior of its carbon fiber forms, are far less hidden errors, since these can be pressed by internal pressure out.
22 pounds lighter than its predecessor, the
Less weight and less susceptibility to errors new opportunities in the carbon lightweight construction in car production, but also in the air travel open. The only catch: the question of the industrialization of the process is open. However, the new Ex-Core proceedings, the 40-piece limited and Hand-built Donkervoort anniversary vehicles D8 GTO-40 profit for the first time. With the result that the 159’600 Euro (excl. Tax) expensive two-seater is in comparison to its predecessor from the years 2011 to 22 pounds lighter. Impressive in this weight class.
