The Dutch marque has officially returned with the world premiere of the C8 Preliator XXV (also called C8 Preliator 25) at The Quail during Monterey Car Week. The reveal car is finished in a special metallic “Quail Green” with rose-gold accents — a perfect match for the event. The short video shows the car being unveiled on stage under a pink cover in front of a “Spyker C8 Preliator XXV World Premiere” backdrop.
This is a genuine revival after years of bankruptcy, ownership battles, and silence. Founder Victor Muller is back at the helm, now backed by new co-owner Volodymyr Nosov and the W Group.
Spyker C8 Preliator XXV: The 800-HP Manual Dutch Hypercar Returns
Spyker is officially back. After more than a decade of turbulence, the historic Dutch manufacturer has returned with a pure-analogue hypercar that rejects the current trends of electrification, dual-clutch gearboxes, and digital overload.
Unveiled on 14 August 2026 at The Quail during Monterey Car Week, the Spyker C8 Preliator XXV Coupé is limited to just 25 hand-built examples. It pairs classic Spyker design DNA with a modern 800-horsepower twin-turbo V8 and — crucially — a true six-speed manual transmission.
A New Era for a 146-Year-Old Brand
Spyker’s roots stretch back to 1880, when the Spijker brothers started as coachbuilders in the Netherlands. The modern company was reborn in 2000 and produced a series of distinctive, aviation-inspired sports cars including the C8 Spyder, C8 Laviolette, and C8 Aileron.
The C8 Preliator name first appeared as a concept in 2016. After bankruptcies and legal disputes, Victor Muller regained the brand rights and, with fresh investment, has brought the car to production as the XXV (Roman numerals for 25). The car on display at The Quail carries chassis number 270 — the final example of the 255 Spykers built since 2000.
Design: Aluminium Craftsmanship Over Carbon Fibre
Spyker deliberately rejected carbon fibre in favour of hand-formed aluminium body panels. Each car requires roughly 2,100 hours of skilled labour. The panels are shaped by specialists in Coventry, England, on an in-house aluminium spaceframe.
Key design elements include:
- Signature aviation-inspired details (NACA ducts, propeller motifs, isogrid lattice patterns)
- A new roof-mounted fin inspired by the 1919 Spyker C1 Aerocoque
- Headlights and taillights shaped to echo “XXV” and fighter-jet afterburners
- Exposed gear linkage — a Spyker trademark
- Rose-gold brightwork on the reveal car (optional on production models)
The Quail Green launch car features subtle rose-gold metallic flakes in the paint and matching rose-gold exterior trim, with a rich Tuscan Saddle leather interior.
Powertrain: 800 hp and a Real Manual Gearbox
At the heart of the C8 Preliator XXV sits a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 (Audi-sourced and further developed) delivering:
- 800 horsepower
- 1,000 Nm of torque
Power goes exclusively to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox (Graziano/Oerlikon) with a limited-slip differential. There is no automatic option, no dual-clutch, and no hybrid assistance.
Performance claims:
- 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in approximately 2.9 seconds
- Top speed exceeding 217 mph (350 km/h)
Spyker has prioritised driver engagement over absolute lap times. The steering is hydraulic, the suspension uses double-wishbone geometry with adaptive damping, and the only digital display in the cabin is a head-up display. Everything else remains analogue.
Extreme Exclusivity and Craftsmanship
Only 25 cars will be built. Each is individually commissioned, with extensive personalisation options. Interior details include:
- Eleven full hides of leather per car
- Hand-stitched steering wheel (approximately four hours of work)
- Turned-aluminium dashboard
- Quilted upholstery featuring the isogrid pattern
Most of the 25 allocations were already spoken for before the public reveal, primarily by previous Spyker owners and collectors.
Looking Ahead
The C8 Preliator XXV marks the start of Spyker’s new chapter. Future plans include:
- Completion of the long-awaited D8 Peking-to-Paris SUV
- A return to endurance racing in GT3
- Expanded digital owner experiences while keeping the cars themselves deliberately analogue
Final Thoughts
In an era of electric hypercars and automated gearboxes, the Spyker C8 Preliator XXV stands out as a defiantly analogue, hand-built machine. It combines the brand’s eccentric aviation aesthetic with serious performance and genuine driver involvement.
With production limited to just 25 examples and most already claimed, the C8 Preliator XXV is less a car and more a rolling piece of modern coachbuilding — a rare statement that pure mechanical driving still has a place at the highest end of the market.
