Donkervoort. Das is snel.

This link was on yahoo.com last week.

When you think of Dutch products, cars normally aren't one of the first things that come to mind. Well how about a 340 hp Dutch car that goes from 0-60 in 3 seconds. 3 seconds! With a top speed of 160 mph. I mean look at this thing!

The link has more pictures. While this obviously isn't a car you would drive everyday around town. It does look fun. Look at the 'teeth' in the front grill.

If you are a fan of utilitarian vehicles; cars that don't cater to the extravagant, cars that deliver the simple necessities quickly and without the fluff. I'm thinking the older Jeep Wrangler models. Then Joop Donkervoort of the Netherlands and his Donkervoort D8 GTO is the car for you. This car dismisses the fancy plush seats and touchscreen displays and delivers a few things a driver isn't used to The driver is rewarded for ignoring the creature comforts by getting a ridiculously light vehicle and amazing speed over comfort.

Donkervoort has been building cars for 3 decades but his GTO is here to lead his company in a new direction. The vehicle weighs only 1,540 lbs (half what a normal compact car weighs). But to achieve such a light weight a few things had to be passed up. There is no roof and few creature comforts. His only 'extra' is electronic traction control. Which I guess you will need when driving that fast.

The company says the first 25 GTOs will be special editions with 'race' switches that provide an extra 60 hp from the engine. Everyday models (like the one they will give me after reading this) will arrive in 2013 with a price tag of $130,000.

Looks fun. Not a passenger car but one to show of in.

Comments

de Vries, Hans de Vries. Almost.

In 1967 THE James Bond (Sean Connery) decided to step away from the world of James Bond films. EOS studios thus had to find a replacement. It came down to 5 men. 2 Brits, an American, a Australian, and a Dutchman. John Richardson, Anthony Rogers, Robert Campbell, George Lazenby, and Hans de Vries. None of those names ring a bell? George Lazenby won the part for the 6th Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. A movie that has been lauded both as the worst and one of the best Bond films in the franchise. If you haven't seen it, you should. It was the Bond film that 'Breaks the Fourth Wall', Bond gets married, wears a kilt, and goes skiing. But the reason for this post is instead of this; (Yes, THAT is James Bond) We could of had this. Improvement? Probably not. He looks a wee bit angry. Plus, no one watches OHMSS anyway. So, did de Vries have a movie career after Bond? Ha, no. The only notable movie rolls I can find for him were pre bond. And that was ...

Ray - Forest Boy

Remember around a month ago when the news story hit about Ray the Forest Boy who randomly showed up one day in Berlin, Germany? Well I forgot to post this but it has been found out who Ray the 'Forest Boy' actually is. 20 yr old Robin van Helsum of Hengelo Netherlands (100 miles east of Amsterdam). What allowed the police to finally determine who 'Ray' was? His stepmother. She recognized his picture on the news. He went missing 9 months ago. Now that he has been exposed as a hoax and not the Forest Boy who had been living in the woods for 5 years; Robin may face stiff fines and penalties for the extra police time and work put into his case which could cost as much as $40,000. 'Ray' originally walked into Berlin claiming he had been walking for 5 days after spending 5 years living out of a tent in the 'wild' where he had buried his father. One Berlin police officer said that there were things right from the start that did not match to his story. Lik...

"My Knitted Boyfriend"

Yes. You read that correctly. And no, I am not buying one. I used to have my dog sleep on my bed when I was little but that was when I was 7. Noortje de Keijzer (her website) a Dutch designer and illustrator has designed a life-sized, yes life size, knitted pillow in the shape of a man. Or a boyfriend. Whichever you prefer. Keijzer's " My Knitted Boyfriend " (click this link. It shows the different accessories and the book that accompies your 'man') project consists of two different oversized cushions, "Artur" (white guy with brown hair) and "Steve (darker guy with black hair)." The pillows come with a number of accessories, including knitted moustaches, glasses, watches, bow-ties, and even tattoos. There's also an illustrated book to show you what you can do with your knitted companion. Keijzer had her mother and grandmother hand-knit the body pillow. (Slave labor?, I'm still wondering why she couldn'...

All Things Holland

Search This Blog