Netherlands-based automaker Donkervoort has reported setting an all-time high score for the lateral overload endured by a sports car on a racetrack. The company’s F22 model was hit with 2.3 G of lateral force while racing at the F1 Circuit Zandvoort.
A representative of the company admitted that setting a new world record was never the goal – the company took the car out exclusively so that it could shoot a promotional video celebrating another birthday of the F22 model and dedicate it to the people who created and bought the car. However, during the filming process, the lateral load suddenly exceeded expectations, setting a de-facto new high score for all other automakers to try and surpass.
The Donkervoort F22 has a factory-rated peak lateral force rating of 2.15 G, so seeing the car exceed it in a real-world driving scenario was unexpected. Even such extreme examples as the recently introduced Pagani Imola Roadster do not go beyond 2.2 G.
The car premiered in last December. It weighed 750 kg (1,654 pounds) and came equipped with a 2.5-liter Audi five-cylinder engine turbocharged to 500 PS (492 hp / 368 kW). The excellent power-to-weight ratio let it sprint 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 2.5 seconds despite lacking an electric motor.
Donkervoort had originally planned to produce 50 units, but later agreed to expand the production volume to 75 and eventually to 100 units due to high demand.
