Spyker is out of money, again. The Dutch exotic car manufacturer never got the promised investment by two Russian businessmen it had a deal with last year. This forced Spyker CEO Victor Muller to file for bankruptcy but he believes there’s still some hope left in the dark that the automaker could survive.
The hopes and dreams of new Spyker models may be frozen at the moment but the company has already built some really interesting machines that we can admire. Among them is the C8 Laviolette and Shmee’s latest video takes an in-depth look at the supercar. The coupe is joined by the C8 Spyder.
The C8 Laviolette is actually the first hardtop vehicle in the history of the brand. It was unveiled in 2001 with aircraft-inspired design and craftsmanship touches in the interior. One of our favorite details is the six-speed gearbox with exposed linkage in the cabin.
Speaking of the drivetrain, just like the C8 Spyder, the C8 Laviolette is powered by a 4.2-liter naturally-aspirated V8 engine sourced from the first-generation Audi R8. It has 400 horsepower (298 kilowatts) and 354 pound-feet (480 Newton-meters) of torque delivered to the rear wheels. The power is enough for a 0-60 miles per hour (0-96 kilometers per hour) acceleration in just 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 186 mph (300 kph).
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In this video, Shmee visits Barry Skolnick who recently bought two Spyker models for his collection. C8 Laviolettes are a fairly rare sight but one example was listed for sale about a year ago. When talking about the two Spykers he had the chance to drive, Shmee says he “certainly wasn’t expecting them to be as entertaining to drive as they are” and we absolutely trust him.