Key highlights
- Spyker has returned with the C8 Preliator XXV Coupe
- Gets a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 producing around 800 hp and 1,000 Nm
- Only 25 examples will be built, with a six-speed manual gearbox
Spyker is back. The Dutch supercar maker, which has had more than its share of financial troubles over the years, has returned with a new limited-production model called the C8 Preliator XXV Coupe.
The car made its debut at The Quail during Monterey Car Week, marking the start of another chapter for the rather eccentric Dutch brand. Spyker plans to build just 25 examples, with each car individually commissioned and hand-built.
800 hp V8 with a manual gearbox
The C8 Preliator XXV isn’t following the current supercar trend of hybrid power or dual-clutch gearboxes. Instead, it gets a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 sourced from Audi, producing around 800 hp and 1,000 Nm. Power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. Yes, a manual gearbox. In a modern supercar producing 800hp.
Spyker claims a 0-100kph time of around 2.9 seconds, while top speed is expected to exceed 350kph.
Aviation-inspired design
The C8 Preliator XXV is unmistakably a Spyker. The body is hand-formed from aluminium and features several aviation-inspired elements, including NACA ducts, a prominent rear fin and aircraft-inspired detailing. Rose-gold accents are used extensively across the exterior, giving the car an almost old-school luxury-meets-aviation character.
The interior follows the same philosophy. There are analog instruments, exposed mechanical components and a visible gear linkage, while the cabin is finished in quilted leather. Spyker has deliberately avoided filling the dashboard with screens, keeping the experience far more mechanical than what you would find in most modern supercars.
Only 25 will be made
Only 25 cars will be produced, and each one is expected to require an enormous amount of hand assembly. Reports suggest around 2,100 hours are needed to build an individual car.
The XXV also marks a new beginning for Spyker after the company became part of the W Group ecosystem, following investment by Volodymyr Nosov earlier this year. Spyker’s comeback is certainly ambitious. The company has tried to return before, with rather mixed results.
But this time, it has chosen a wonderfully old-school recipe: 800 hp, rear-wheel drive, a manual gearbox, hand-built aluminium bodywork and almost no digital clutter.
Also read: Skoda Octavia RS makes a comeback: Only 50 units to be sold
