Spyker C8 Aileron

Spyker C8 Aileron at a glance

Spyker revived an old Dutch name in 1999, and its first car, the C8 Spyder, appeared at the Birmingham Motor Show in 2000. The C8 Laviolette coupé with its fixed glass canopy followed in 2001. The Aileron replaced the Laviolette in 2009. Spyker called it the second generation of the C8, and in 2016 the Preliator took over as the third.

The design leans on the brand's aviation history. "Aileron" is the movable flap on an aircraft wing, the alloy wheels have a turbine-blade pattern, and the cabin is full of polished aluminium and toggle switches. The V-shaped grille is larger and set at an angle to cool the engine, the headlights use LED and xenon units, and the glass canopy is longer than the Laviolette's. Early cars were built in the Netherlands; by 2010 production had moved to Coventry, England, where Spyker said about 62% of the car's value was British. The brand's story is in the history of Spyker.

Engine, gearbox and performance

Like every C8, the Aileron uses an Audi V8 mounted behind the cabin. It has five valves per cylinder, three for intake and two for exhaust.

The standard gearbox is a six-speed Getrag manual. A six-speed ZF automatic with paddles became available on the Aileron, the first time Spyker offered one. Road testers praised the chassis but found the automatic slow to respond at times, with a wide gap between second and third gear. With 294 kW for 1,425 kg, the Aileron has about 206 kW per tonne, less than most mid-engined rivals of its era.

Chassis, cabin and boot

The spaceframe is longer and stiffer than the Laviolette's. Spyker's engineering partner Lotus developed the double-wishbone suspension with forged aluminium arms and mono-tube coil-over dampers, similar to the Lotus Evora's. evo reported the new chassis as two and a half times stiffer than before. The wheelbase grew to 2,725 mm, which also made the doors longer and getting in easier. The car rides on 19-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport tyres and carbon-ceramic brakes were available.

The cabin is the main reason buyers chose a Spyker. Leather came in several grades and 14 colours, and the dashboard combines machined aluminium, a "turbine" centre console and toggle switches. A Kharma hi-fi with seven speakers and an iPod connection were offered. The cabin is roomier than the Laviolette's, and the steering column is fully adjustable. Luggage space is minimal, as in most mid-engined two-seaters.

Fuel use and running costs

No verified EU-standard fuel figure exists for the Aileron, so there is no official l/100 km value. The Audi V8 is a proven engine, and its parts are easier to find than the hand-made body and interior pieces, which come only from Spyker or specialists.

Versions and equipment

Each car was configured to order, with a wide range of leather, paint and aluminium finishes. In June 2010 the Italian magazine Alvolante quoted a starting price of about 198,000 euros, about the same as a Ferrari 458 Italia at the time.

Crash testing a hand-built supercar

As a hand-built low-volume car, the Aileron was never tested by Euro NCAP or the IIHS, which rarely test cars made in such small numbers. Its crash structure is the aluminium spaceframe developed for the second-generation C8.

Rivals: how the Aileron compares

Compared with the Ferrari 458, the Aileron has 125 kW less power at a similar price. It is not the fastest car in this group; its case rests on exclusivity, hand-built quality and design. To check these cars side by side, use the 1cars comparison tool or the specifications section.