Supercar fans, get ready for your heads to explode. The Spyker C8 Preliator will run a Koenigsegg V8 engine. Talk about strange bedfellows. But in an automotive world where the Ford F-150 Raptor and Chevy Camaro ZL1 use versions of the same 10-speed transmission, why not?
Spyker and Koenigsegg announced the deal Tuesday at the Geneva Motor Show, where the Preliator C8 Spyder debuted. Rated at 500 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter engine will replace the Audi V8 originally used in the first batch of C8 Preliator coupes; they will now switch to the Koenigsegg unit. The engine will team with a six-speed manual transmission.
Spyker will make only 100 copies of the Spyder, which has an automatic soft top. Preliator, which translates to fighter in Latin, is a throwback to Spyker’s first iteration as an aircraft maker in World War 1, and the Spyker logo evokes a spinning propeller.
The C8 Preliators use a Lotus suspension, a carbon-fiber body, aluminum hood and deck lid, and prominent aerodynamic treatments. They also feature an infotainment display with connectivity for Spotify and Apple Music and can be operated with hand gestures. The Spyder will launch by summer 2018. The coupe and convertible will be built next to each other in Coventry, England.
Spyker founder Victor Muller called the new V8 the “single-most important advancement” in his company’s history. “I have always admired the amazing technologies developed by Christian von Koenigsegg and his dedicated team creating one of the most sophisticated cars and engines on the planet, and I am convinced our Spyker C8 Preliator clients will tremendously enjoy the huge performance leap,” Muller said in a statement.
Though the engine deal might seem unconventional at first, Spyker and Koenigsegg appeal to different kinds of enthusiasts. Both of the boutique supercar makers occasionally make splashy reveals at European auto shows. This year, they teamed up for one in Geneva.
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