Spyker, the Dutch car and aircraft company that built cars and planes from 1880 to 1926 and was later reborn in 1999, has always been on the radar of Audi aficionados. In its modern era, the brand produced handcrafted sports cars powered by Audi’s 4.2-liter V8 engine. The cars’ DNA made them exotic cousins of sorts, and the scrappy boutique brand’s presence on the grid of the 24 Hours of Le Mans during Audi’s own legendary era at La Sarthe meant it shared a figurative heart as well as a literal one.
Spyker, though, fell on hard times, and by 2018 the Spyker Instagram account posted its final update—until yesterday, when it shared the following letter:
In the years since the company entered stasis, the automotive industry has marched toward electrification, while enthusiasts have continued to embrace the quirky brand. Examples of Spyker’s artfully crafted C8 have risen in value, and what can best be described as a cult following has emerged.
For Spyker, what a return might mean remains unclear. Could it again use an Audi engine? Theoretically, yes—though Audi’s supplier relationships with niche brands such as Donkervoort and Gumpert have largely drawn to a close. At the same time, the industry trend clearly leans toward electrification, particularly in Europe, where an EV mandate remains in place. Even so, Spyker’s loyal following values the brand’s purist ethos—and EVs aren’t exactly “pure” by that measure.
Time will tell. For now, we’re watching with great interest.