If you’re an automotive enthusiast of a certain age, the name Spyker probably triggers some very specific memories. The propeller-spoke wheels, exposed gear linkages, and interiors that looked more like luxury watch movements than traditional dashboards. Spyker certainly left an impression.
And you’ll also remember the Dutch boutique brand has gone bankrupt twice in the last decade, fell off the radar entirely, and most of us assumed that was that. Now, somehow, it’s back, again. And it’s coming to Pebble Beach with an 800-horsepower V8.
Resurrected, For the Third Time
Spyker’s modern story has been one long Hail Mary. Founder Victor Muller revived the original 1880s carriage-and-airplane company in 1999, built genuinely beautiful cars like the C8 Spyder, Laviolette, Aileron, and Preliator, and then watched it all collapse twice. Once in 2014 after the disastrous Saab acquisition, and again in 2021. You can be forgiven for missing the second one.
But last year, Muller quietly reached a settlement that handed him back all the brand’s IP, and now we’re getting the payoff. On August 14, the new C8 Preliator drops at The Quail during Monterey Car Week. Whether it’s a full reimagining or a heavily evolved version of the 2016 Geneva show car remains unclear, and Muller is keeping his cards close.
The Headline: A Twin-Turbo V8 With No Apologies
Now there’s one thing we do know. The new Preliator will pack a twin-turbocharged V8 making 800 horsepower with a top speed north of 217 mph. For context, the original 2016 Preliator made 518 horsepower from its supercharged 4.2-liter Audi V8.
Muller has been crystal clear that there’s no electrification of any kind. No hybrid system, no mild-hybrid trickery. Just a V8 with two turbos and rear wheels to spin. In 2026, that’s almost defiant, and probably exactly what the analog-faithful Spyker crowd wants to hear.
The Engine Mystery
Now, what we don’t know is where the engine is coming from. The original Preliator’s V8 came from Audi’s R8, but with the R8 now discontinued, that pipeline is closed.
Spyker hasn’t confirmed whether it’s tapping another VW Group brand (Porsche or Bentley would make sense), sourcing from elsewhere, or going somewhere entirely new. It is worth noting that Spyker had a deal for a 5.0-liter Koenigsegg V8 a decade ago that fell through, so this isn’t new territory for the brand by any means.
Chassis Number 270 Says It All
The reveal car carries chassis number 270, and that means in roughly 26 years of modern production, the brand has built fewer than 270 cars total. Anyone who knows Spyker knows these have always been hand-built, jewelry-grade machines for a tiny audience who valued craft over horsepower bragging rights.
The car is being shipped from the UK to Lijnden, near Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, where the original team is reportedly being reassembled to handle final assembly.
Spec Sheet
Model: Spyker C8 Preliator (New Generation)
Model Year: 2026
Engine: Twin-Turbocharged V8
Power: 800 HP
Top Speed: 217+ MPH (350 KPH)
Drivetrain: Rear-Wheel Drive (Expected)
Debut: August 14, 2026 at The Quail Lodge
Pricing & Availability
Spyker hasn’t announced pricing or order details yet, and the official reveal goes down August 14 at The Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley as part of Monterey Car Week. Given the chassis numbering and Spyker’s hand-built history, expect production to be exceptionally limited and the price tag to land squarely in seven-figure territory.
Recap
2027 Spyker C8 Preliator Revival
Spyker rises from its second bankruptcy with a new C8 Preliator packing a twin-turbo V8 good for 800 horsepower and a 217-mph top speed. No hybrid, no EV, just analog Dutch supercar revival debuting at The Quail this August.
