Autoblog

Spyker C8 Aileron to come back with supercharged power?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 09:15:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Audi, GM, Spyker, Luxury

The new B6 Venator wasn't the only vehicle on display at the Spyker booth at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The company still has its C8 Aileron on offer, and Road & Track has word of a potential powerplant upgrade for the long-running machine.

Since its introduction in the year 2000, the C8 has used a 4.2-liter V8 engine sourced from Audi, which, in base form, offers up 400 horsepower. Though it's a great powerpant, that's simply not enough power in this day and age - after all, if a car is going to be called super, it needs to offer more ponies than something as mundane as the Ford Mustang GT.

According to R&T, John Walton, Chief Commercial Officer at Spyker, indicated that a new engine supplier may be in the works. "[The Audi-sourced V8] really hasn't got enough bang for the buck. To be honest, every supercar needs to have something that begins with a '5' today. That's why we're supercharging the car in the future, which will take it to over 500-hp," said Walton.

Assuming Spyker doesn't decide to supercharge Audi's V8 itself, where will that supercharged engine come from? We have no idea, though with legal wrangling still in process it seems a bit unlikely to come from General Motors, although its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 would seemingly make an excellent choice.

On the other hand, if GM's engine is the best option available, Spyker could potentially buy complete supercharged crate engines directly from GM Performance Parts in either 556- (LSA) or 638-horsepower (LS9) iterations, and it probably doesn't need explicit approval to do so. In any case, we're just postulating. Only time will tell what, if any, new engine Spyker will bestow upon its C8 Aileron.

Spyker C8 Aileron to come back with supercharged power? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Mar 2013 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Spyker sitting out Le Mans this year to focus on new Aileron GT

Noah Joseph — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 08:26:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Spyker, Racing

Spyker C8 Laviolette GT2-R - Click above for high-res image gallery

With the exception of the 2004 season, Spyker has been a permanent fixture at Le Mans and in the larger Le Mans Series since 2002. But this year looks set to be another exception as the Spyker Squadron is apparently opting to sit out the season.

The reason? To develop a new race car. Because the works team reportedly feels it has taken the existing Laviolette GT2-R to the limits of its potential, focus has shifted to turning the new C8 Aileron into a new challenger.

The Aileron is both longer and wider than the model it replaces, giving the Squadron more to work with. The car is being prepared for the GTE category that replaces the GT2 class, with potential for GT1 and GT3 versions to be commissioned by privateer teams for other series.

We'll be anxious to see if reports that the Aileron is switching to Corvette ZR1 power will translate to the race track as well when the Aileron GT set to hit the grid in 2012.

Gallery: Spyker C8 Laviolette GT2-R

Gallery: Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder

[Source: Planetlemans]

Report: Spyker sitting out Le Mans this year to focus on new Aileron GT originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 08:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder trying catch up to 99 units with ZR1 power?

Noah Joseph — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Spyker, Rumormill

2010 Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's been a while since we've heard anything from Spyker that didn't have to do with its acquisition of Saab. The Dutch automaker has apparently had its hands full taking the reins in Trollhattan from General Motors - so busy in fact that it has apparently missed production targets. Like with the new C8 Aileron Spyder.

The convertible version of the stretched and updated C8 debuted about a year and a half ago in Pebble Beach, and was supposed to enter production in the first half of 2010. Well, 2010 has come and gone and apparently production still hasn't started. But we do have some news.

According to reports from the company's native Netherlands, Spyker is planning on keeping the C8 Aileron Spyder very exclusive, with a production run of just 99 units. That's a mighty limited edition, but there's more: according to the same report quoting CEO Victor Muller, Spyker will be ditching the Audi-sourced 4.2-liter V8 for the 6.2-liter supercharged LS9 from the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.

Considering that, at 638 hp, the LS9 produces over 50% more power than the 400-horse Audi mill, the commensurate drop in the previously estimated 4.5-second sprint to 60 should be well worth the work involved in turning the blown eight around and mounting it in the middle of the Spyker. Either that, or this could all amount to nothing - but the notion that the door between GM and Spyker could be swinging both ways is certainly intriguing.

Gallery: Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder

[Source: GTSpirit.com]

Report: Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder trying catch up to 99 units with ZR1 power? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Avenged Increased Sevenfold: Spyker plans massive sales increase on C7 Aileron?

Zach Bowman — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Plants/Manufacturing, Earnings/Financials, Spyker, Specialty, Luxury

Spyker Aileron C8 Spyder - click above for high-res image gallery

Here's a shocker - Dutch supercar manufacturer Spyker is looking to increase sales of its C8 Aileron to 250 units by 2012. That's a sevenfold increase compared to the meager 36 vehicles the company managed to move in 2009. How will they do it? For starters, production will be moved to CAPP Manufacturing, Ltd. in England, allowing for greater production volume than in the past. So far, Spyker has sold just total of 214 cars since 2002. But the company also plans to make the C8 Aileron more attractive to American buyers by offering the car with a new automatic transmission.

The company is hoping that the new gearbox will make the car comfortable enough for buyers more interested in the vehicle's luxury aspects than its performance credentials. Spyker says that the company received a good bit of demand for an automatic C8 from buyers in the U.S., China, Russia and the Middle East in the past.

News of the expanded sales targets also dovetails nicely with word that Spyker will be selling its wares through select Saab dealerships here in the States. It looks like we can forget about there not being enough of the $240,000 C8 Ailerons to go around.

Gallery: Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder

[Source: Automotive News Europe]

~~Avenged~~ Increased Sevenfold: Spyker plans massive sales increase on C7 Aileron? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2009: Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder proves the devil is in the details

Jonny Lieberman — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Convertible, Performance, Europe, Spyker, Luxury

Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder - Click above for high-res image gallery

Where to even start? Oh right - that interior! With the possible exception of a couple of British-ish cars (BMW-owned Rolls-Royce Phantom, Volkswagen-owned Bentley Mulsanne, Tata-owned Jaguar XJ), no interior even comes close. And frankly, being honest, those luxo-barges just pale in comparison to the blinged out old-world splendor of a Spyker cockpit. And the C8 Aileron Spyder ups that already pricey ante. And get this - all C8s are now built in Coventry, England, shaving about $9,000 off the asking price, which is somewhere ~~south~~ north of $200,000 depending on ~~baubles~~ options.

Normally, photographing cars at auto shows feels like a strange, exotic form of torture, at least for us writerly types. The bright lights, the bumrush, the awkward positions (you try crawling on your hands and knees between a posing CEO's knees to get a shot of a wheel) - it's not fun. But when photographing this car, we were overcome with a rush of (let's just say) endorphins. We could imagine ourselves winding up the California coast, fondling that leather-wrapped aluminum gear shifter for hundreds of breezy, dreamy miles. And get this - it's an automatic... and we don't care!

For you number junkies who choose to hastily look past the incredible innards, the C8 drop top is powered by a 4.2-liter Audi V8 good for 400 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. That medium-amount of gumption is routed to the rear-wheels via a 6-speed slushbox. Top speed is 187 mph and 0-60 happens in 4.5 seconds. Spyker claims that the car's strength is in the frame (stouter than a Ferrari F430, so they say) and therefor chopping off the roof has limited negative structural impact. Want more tech details? See our post from Monterey.

Let's get back to that interior. If you're into fancy cars (hi mom!) you've no doubt heard of special leather coming from "free range" cows raised without barbwire so as to ensure the leather is flawless. Well get this, the leather in the Aileron Spyder comes from a Dutch tannery that works with free range cold weather cows. Why cold weather? No mosquito bites. No, really. And you can get that interior in any of fourteen colors, most of which are (hopefully) equally eye-searing. Finally, anyone else as in love with the tonneau cover-mounted quilted leather briefcase as we are?

Gallery: LA 2009: 2010 Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder

LA 2009: Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder proves the devil is in the details originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2009: Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder debuts

Damon Lavrinc — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 19:25:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Misc. Auto Shows, Luxury

Spkyer C8 Aileron Spyder - Click above for a high-res image gallery

Spyker deals in the ultimate four-wheeled fashion accessories, so it's fitting that the automaker debuted its next-generation droptop - the C8 Aileron Spyder - to the primped and bedazzled throngs in Monterey.

Based off the all-new Aileron that debuted at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year (replacing the original C8 after a successful nine-year run), the Spyder version stays true to its predecessor with a frameless windshield and a flowing profile that doesn't disrupt the more angular, aircraft-inspired theme of the coupe.

Ahead of the CNC-machined aluminum luggage rack and integrated roll-bars, a tonneau cover houses a soft-top (available in eight colors) and glass window that's deployed using an electric/hydraulic system and latched with a single mechanism.

Like the original C8, Spyker developed the Aileron to be a convertible from the onset, so little if any modifications have been made to ready the Spyder for drop-top duty. The chassis carries over unchanged, as does the drivetrain - an Audi-sourced 400+ hp 4.2-liter with a choice of either a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox (with paddle shifters) - along with the massive AP brakes and 19-inch Aeroblade wheels. And if the inside of the Aileron wasn't enough of a masterpiece to begin with, Spyker has teamed up with ultra-high-end stereo purveyors Kharma to offer a new infotainment system that will add another level of excess to the already excessive interior. Expect sales to begin later this, with around 50 percent of all Spyders winding up on U.S. shores.

Gallery: Monterey 2009: Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder

Monterey 2009: Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder debuts originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spyker C8 Aileron teased ahead of Geneva unveiling

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Supercars

At last year's Geneva Motor Show we got our first glimpse of the Spyker C8 Aileron, the stretched and stiffened coupe that could replace the C8 Laviolette later this year. In keeping with its promise to deliver a production version of the C8 Aileron in 2009, Spkyer has released a teaser of its newest hypercar ahead of its reveal in Geneva next month.

There's no doubt that the stylistic insanity of the concept will make its way to the production model, along with the Audi-sourced 4.2-liter V8, putting out 400 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. A choice of either a Getrag six-speed manual or ZF auto-box will deliver power to the rear wheels, and with a curb weight of just over 3,100 pounds, the Aileron will hit 60 in 4.5 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 187 mph.

Spyker's trademark interior trinkets, including its turned aluminum dash, will find their way inside, along with a Kharma stereo with GPS, Bluetooth integration and MP3 compatibility. Production is expected to begin in May, with sales starting in early summer, and expect a convertible variant to bow next year.

Gallery: Spyker C8 Aileron

Spyker C8 Aileron teased ahead of Geneva unveiling originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2008: Our Orange Crush is the Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:32:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Coupe, Performance, Spyker

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85

The Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85, which we'll call "Tiger," is officially out and about. Spyker has released more images of the Audi-engined, 400-hp, 6-speed manual Le Mans-inspired road car, and to our eyes it could be the best looking Spyker we've seen. The blacked-out mirrors do it a lot of favors and don't remind us any more of carry handles, and it has even retained 19-inch wheels secured with one lug nut and will apparently get you a combined 15 mpg on the EPA cycle. Not bad for a leathered up race car. Check out the press release after the jump and the galleries of high-res shots in our galleries below.

Gallery: LA 2008: Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85

Gallery: Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85

Continue reading LA 2008: Our Orange Crush is the Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85

LA 2008: Our Orange Crush is the Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva '08 Preview: Spyker to unveil long-wheelbase C8

Noah Joseph — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:43:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Supercars, Spyker

The current standard-wheelbase Spyker C8 Laviolette

Spyker may be down, but it's not out. The Dutch exotic automaker has fallen on some hard times, but that's not going to stop it from moving forward with at least some of its plans. The C12 Zagato has been postponed indefinitely, but at the upcoming Geneva auto show in March, Spyker is expected to unveil an improved version of its existing C8 Laviolette.

As wonderfully quirky as the current C8 is, owners complain of constricted space. In response Spyker has stretched the wheelbase, giving more space in the cabin while improving the vehicles proportions. The C8 Laviolette LWB will feature an elongated version of the current model's glass roofline. A long wheelbase Spyder version is expected to follow sometime thereafter, benefiting from a proper motorized convertible roof instead of the largely useless folding rag on the current short-wheelbase model. It's a small step forward for the ailing company, but a step forward nonetheless.

Follow the jump for a video rendering of the upcoming C8 Spyder LWB doin' the turntable thing.

[Source: Spyker Owner Forum]

Continue reading Geneva '08 Preview: Spyker to unveil long-wheelbase C8

Geneva '08 Preview: Spyker to unveil long-wheelbase C8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spyker dropping C12, developing new SSUV and C8

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:05:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Supercars, Spyker

It was simply a matter of time before the financial stresses ailing Spyker would filter their way down to product. The result is the unceremonious execution of the stillborn C12 LaTurbie and the Zagato edition. Killing off those two models enables Spyker to put more of its limited resources into two remaining models, the C8 and the upcoming Super Sport Utility Vehicle D12.

According to Spyker head Hans Hugenholtz, the C8 will remain as it's cheaper to produce and stands as the cornerstone of the ultra-niche automaker's turnaround efforts. That, and the introduction of the D12 SSUV, now delayed until the end of 2008, will hopefully return the firm to profitability.

The death of the C12 was a huge financial hit, as Spyker spent a considerable amount of cash and resources toying around with the VW-sourced 450 HP 6.0-liter W12 that now may find a home within the D12 SSUV.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Spyker dropping C12, developing new SSUV and C8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clear the roads: Paris Hilton running a Spyker C8 Spyder in Bullrun

Chris Shunk — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 08:07:00 EST

Filed under: Contests

As if there hasn't been enough Paris Hilton in our lives, now she's going to be competing in this year's Bullrun behind the wheel of a Spyker C8 Spyder. Bullrun, an eight-day rally and traveling fiesta,, will be running from Montreal to Key West starting on May 11. Paris was part of the 2004 rally (which, of course, she did not win) so she does have some experience with how the competition works.

To get her to appear, the Bullrun organizers gave the hotel heiress the gorgeous Spyker in which she'll compete. TMZ snagged some amusing video of the socialite with her exotic ragtop, in which she starts off in the driver's seat, then says "I don't know how to drive a stick" as she climbs into shotgun. Then, when someone else gets in to drive, the brainy beauty exclaims, "Don't hit my car!" as she looks back at her... Saab? We know Paris is a looker, but the C8, with its unique appearance and spectacular engine note, completely steals the show here.

[Source: TMZ]

Clear the roads: Paris Hilton running a Spyker C8 Spyder in Bullrun originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Apr 2007 08:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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