Donkervoort S8A Overview: Generations and Buying Guide
Overview of the Donkervoort S8A roadster (1985–1993): its single generation, the 117 hp 2.0 MT version, and which one to buy.
The Donkervoort S8A is a roadster produced from 1985 to 1993, offered with a single power output of 117 hp. It suits drivers who want a light, open two-seater with a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive — a pure, driver-focused machine rather than a comfortable cruiser.
The lineup is unusually simple: one generation, one body style, one engine. Every Donkervoort S8A carries a 1994 cc four-cylinder engine rated at 117 hp, paired exclusively with a manual transmission driving the rear wheels. There are no automatic options, no alternative drivetrains, and no power upgrades within the range — the 117 hp figure applies to the entire 1985–1993 production run.
Donkervoort S8A generations
1 generation (1985–1993)
The first and only generation of the Donkervoort S8A was built from 1985 to 1993 in a single body style — the roadster. The power range is flat at 117 hp, and the model counts just one modification: the 2.0 MT with a 1994 cc engine, manual gearbox, and rear-wheel drive. The Donkervoort S8A 2.0 MT (1 generation) is the definitive version of the car, since no other configuration was ever offered. Across the eight production years, from 1985 to 1993, the specification never changed: the same 1994 cc displacement, the same 117 hp output, the same manual-only transmission and rear-wheel-drive layout. This single-specification approach means every example shares the same mechanical layout, which makes comparing cars on the used market straightforward: differences between examples come down to condition and history rather than trim or engine choice.
Which Donkervoort S8A to buy
- 2.0 MT (1 generation): the only modification of the Donkervoort S8A, with 117 hp from its 1994 cc engine, a manual gearbox, and rear-wheel drive — there is nothing else to choose from.
When buying used, remember that every Donkervoort S8A is now decades old: production ended in 1993, so even the youngest cars date back over thirty years. Because the model spans a single generation with one modification, there is no risk of paying extra for a rarer engine or trim that does not exist. The upside of a one-version model built over an eight-year run is simplicity — any 1985–1993 car has the same 117 hp specification, so the year of manufacture matters less than how the specific example has been kept.