Spyker is one of those car companies with a history far stranger than most. The original Dutch marque was founded by brothers Jacobus and Hendrik-Jan Spijker in 1880 as a coachbuilder, before moving into cars and, eventually, aircraft. Its aviation past became a defining part of the brand. The original company disappeared in 1926, but the name was revived in 1999 by Victor Muller and Maarten de Bruijn, with the C8 Spyder arriving in 2000.
Since then, Spyker has become synonymous with hand-built supercars that look like they have been designed inside an aircraft hangar. The C8 evolved through several versions before the Preliator arrived in 2016, bringing with it Spyker’s trademark aviation-inspired detailing and an Audi V8.
Now, after Spyker’s latest bankruptcy in 2021, the Dutch marque is attempting another comeback with the C8 Preliator XXV (25). The brand has been revived by its original co-founder, Victor Muller, working alongside crypto entrepreneur Volodymyr Nosov and his fintech ecosystem, W Group.
Revealed at Monterey Car Week, the Preliator XXV is a hand-built supercar limited to just 25 examples. Essentially an evolved version of the C8 Aileron, it turns everything up several notches, with an Audi-sourced 4-litre twin-turbo V8 producing 789 bhp and 995 Nm of torque. Better still, that power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.
Spyker says the XXV can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 2.9sec and exceed 335 kph. But the numbers aren’t really what make this car interesting. Spyker has always been about the theatre, and the Preliator XXV has plenty of it. The aviation theme is impossible to miss. There are NACA-style air intakes across the body, a new fin on the roof and tail lights inspired by jet afterburners. Even the wheels have been designed to evoke aircraft propellers. The launch car is finished in Quail Green with rose-gold detailing, although customers can choose more restrained aluminium finishes.
Inside, things get even more extravagant. Spyker has deliberately resisted the modern supercar obsession with screens, instead filling the cabin with hand-finished leather, turned metal and exposed mechanical components. The gear linkage is left proudly on display, while the dashboard looks more like something you’d find inside an expensive watch than a car.
The Preliator XXV is also meant to be more than a one-off comeback story. Spyker says it has plans for more cars, including a revival of the D8 Peking-to-Paris SUV, while the company has also spoken about returning to GT3 racing. Whether those ambitions finally turn into reality remains to be seen.
