Spyker has never done things the easy way. Founded in 1880 as a carriage maker, the Dutch firm built the world's first six-cylinder, all-wheel-drive car in 1903 before folding in 1926. Revived in 1999, it has survived multiple bankruptcies, failed product launches, and a Koenigsegg engine deal that never quite materialised. Now, original founder Victor Muller is back at the helm, and so is Spyker's most compelling creation yet.
Revealed at The Quail during Monterey Car Week, the C8 Preliator XXV Coupé is the third generation of the C8 family and an entirely clean-sheet design. The spec sheet alone is enough to make purists weep with gratitude: a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 sourced from Audi, producing 789 horsepower and 737 lb-ft of torque, delivered exclusively through a Graziano six-speed manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential to the rear wheels. Zero to 62 mph takes 2.9 seconds. Top speed exceeds 217 mph. There is no automatic option. There is no hybrid assistance. There is only the gearbox and your left foot.
The bodywork is hand-formed aluminium, manufactured by the craftspeople at Coventry Prototype Panels in England, over an aluminium spaceframe. No carbon fibre anywhere. The result is a curb weight of roughly 1,428 kg, which is extraordinary for a car with this level of performance. Each car takes 2,100 hours to build. The steering wheel alone requires four hours of upholstery work.
Design details read like a love letter to aviation. The front grille uses tessellated triangles inspired by rocket manufacturing. NACA ducts are carved into the front bumper and rear fenders. The taillights emulate fighter-jet afterburners. A new tail fin rises from the rear roof scoop, the most obvious styling change from the previous Preliator. Inside, the only digital display is a head-up unit. The aluminium dashboard houses analog gauges with green backlighting, physical toggle switches, and acres of quilted Tuscan Saddle leather. Rose gold brightwork threads through the cabin and exterior, while the exposed gear linkage remains a Spyker signature. The car shown at The Quail was finished in metallic Quail Green with rose gold flakes, and rose gold can even be specified for the staggered 20- and 21-inch wheels, a $67,000 option.
Spyker will build just 25 examples of the C8 Preliator XXV. No price has been announced, but the word decadent does not begin to cover it. In an era of dual-clitch transmissions and electric motors, the Preliator XXV is a refusal to comply. The manual gearbox is not a gimmick. The aluminium bodywork is not retro affectation. This is a car built by people who still believe the driver should earn every tenth of a second.
