Spyker unveiled the topless version of its supercar, the C8 Preliator, at the Geneva Motor Show with a surprise announcement. The small-volume carmaker is dropping the Audi powertrain originally planned for the Preliator in favor of an engine from fellow supercar maker Koenigsegg.
The Spyker C8 Preliator was originally unveiled, in coupe form, at the 2016 Geneva show. During that unveil, the one-time aircraft company announced a 50-unit production run of the Preliator coupe using a 4.2-liter Audi-supplied engine that output 525 PS (518 hp, 386 kW). At this year's Geneva Show, however, the company announced that it has dropped that Audi engine in favor of a specially-designed engine from Koenigsegg.
Those who follow supercar circuits will know the Koenigsegg name, of course. The company and its founder are well known for their expertise in making powerful vehicles for the elite.
Spyker's move to Koenigsegg means that it's getting an engine that is more powerful than that originally planned for the C8 Preliator. The "Warrior" car (Preliator is Latin for "warrior") will boast a massive 600 horsepower and 600 Newtons of torque (447 kW, 442.5 lb-ft). The engine is the same basic 90-degree V8 design of the Audi it replaces, but with more displacement (5.0 liters versus the 4.2 of the Audi).
The Koenigsegg engine has a bore of 92 mm and a stroke of 95.25 mm (3.62 x 3.75 inches) and a compression ratio of 12:1. Maximum power is delivered at 7,100 rpm and maximum torque at 5,700 rpm. The engine is limited to 8,000 rpm.
Spyker is claiming a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) time of 3.6 seconds for the Preliator Spyder and a maximum speed of 322 km/h (201 mph).
The production of the Spyker C8 Preliator will be limited to 50 coupe models and 100 spyder models. The company appears to be dropping the automatic transmission originally announced as an option last year in favor of a six-speed manual as the only transmission option for the car. Spyker says that this is due to feedback from clientele.
The Spyker C8 Preliator Spyder has the same design and underpinnings that the coupe does. Its top-optional build rests on the same Lotus-derived aluminum space frame chassis. Added for the Spyder model is an aluminum tonneau cover for the retracted soft-top roof, which is buttressed in quilted Litano leather. Those buttresses are made to match the car's interior and are impressed with the Spyker motto "Nulla Tenaci Invia Est Via" - "For the tenacious, no road is impassable."
Supplementing the leather interior of the Spyker Preliator is a gesture-controlled head-up display. This projects to the windscreen and allows the driver to control music, a phone, navigation and more through simple hand gestures from the steering wheel. Voice-based commands and advanced navigation are also included, as developed by Exploride.
Production of the Spyker C8 Preliator coupe is expected to begin in the last quarter of 2017. The spyder will begin production in the second or third quarter of 2018. Production will be undertaken in Spyker's facility in Coventry, UK. Pricing will begin at US$429,000.
Source: Spyker
