Donkervoort D8 GTO sports car approved for sale in Europe and Middle East

By Nick Jaynes March 14, 2013

Donkervoort D8 GTO — Image used with permission by copyright holder

And you thought Koenigsegg was a silly name. Well, Donkervoort has it beat. In spite of its funny name, the Danish sports car company makes some wild – and wildly fast – cars.

The latest of which is called the D8 GTO and it has been granted the new “European Small Series Type Approval.” This stamp of approval allows the D8 GTO to be sold not only in the European Union but also Switzerland, Russia, and the Middle East. The D8 GTO won’t come cheap, though. Donkervoort estimates it’ll run in the $130,000 to $195,000 range.

Now that you know who can buy it, let’s get into what you’d be plunking your money down for.

Donkervoort D8 GTO — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The D8 GTO is powered by the hand-built Audi five-cylinder called the R5 TFSI. That same turbocharged five is found in the stateside TT RS, which was one of our favorite cars of 2012 thanks in large part to that peppy motor.

In the D8 GTO the R5 produces anywhere between 340 and 400 horsepower, depending on how the motor is spec’d.

If you’re thinking 400 horses doesn’t sound like much for a $195,000 sports car, you’re wrong. The Donkervoort D8 GTO only weighs 1,543 pounds. To put that into perspective, the 700-horsepower Lamborghini Aventador weighs in the range of 3,400 pounds.

Donkervoort D8 GTO — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Thanks to its lightweight body and ferocious little five-cylinder engine, D8 GTO stands as one of the fastest European sports cars on the market.

So if roofless, high-speed motoring is your thing and you have about $200,000 to burn, we urge you to sign up to purchase one of the D8 GTOs. We wish we could.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…

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