Dutch sports car marque Spyker has axed the old Audi-supplied engine used in previous versions of its C8 sports car in favor of a Koenigsegg-built V-8 for the new C8 Preliator Spyder, which it revealed on Tuesday at the 2017 Geneva auto show.
The naturally aspirated, 90-degree 5.0-liter V-8 is said to produce around 600 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. A 6-speed manual transmission will be the only gearbox on offer, presumably shifted via one of Spyker’s steampunk-esque metal gear levers. Expect improved performance and a top speed that may best the outgoing model’s 201 mph.
Eventually, the engine will replace the supercharged 4.2-liter Audi V-8 in the C8 Preliator coupe launched a year ago. But the convertible gets its first; the open-top car is due on sale in the summer, priced from about $430,000. That base price doesn’t include a custom-tailored, five-piece Louis Vuitton luggage set, however.
Spyker CEO Victor Muller says his firm will build around 100 examples of the C8 Preliator annually at an assembly plant in Coventry, England.
It may sound like something of a surprise to see Spyker and Koenigsegg—both boutique supercar brands—team up together, but there’s a fair amount of shared heritage. Both brands have used Audi V-8s and both were closely associated with General Motors’ sell-off of its Saab brand several years ago.
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