Donkervoort

Donkervoort Automobielen was founded in 1978 by Joop Donkervoort in Tienhoven, Netherlands. Initially inspired by the Lotus Seven concept, Joop sought to improve upon the design to meet Dutch type-approval regulations, leading to the creation of the S7. In the 1980s, the company expanded with the S8 and S8A models, moving production to Loosdrecht to accommodate growing demand for their increasingly powerful and refined sports cars. A pivotal moment occurred in 1999 when Donkervoort established a long-term partnership with Audi, switching from Ford engines to Audi’s turbocharged powerplants. This transition allowed the manufacturer to significantly increase performance, leading to the development of the D8 series. In 2003, the company moved to its current state-of-the-art headquarters in Lelystad, which serves as both a factory and a hub for their specialized carbon-fiber research. In 2021, Joop Donkervoort stepped down as Managing Director, handing leadership to his son, Denis Donkervoort. Under Denis's direction, the company launched the F22 in late 2022, a car that moved the brand beyond the traditional 'Seven' aesthetic while maintaining the core principles of extreme power-to-weight ratios and manual driving engagement. Today, Donkervoort remains one of the few independent, family-owned manufacturers in the high-performance segment.