Spyker C8 Preliator XXV 2026 Debuts in Monterey

At The Quail during Monterey Car Week, a metallic green Spyker stood with its butterfly doors raised as founder and CEO Victor Muller stood before it with a microphone in hand to introduce the C8 Preliator XXV, a vehicle designed around the physical connection between the driver and the machine.

The Preliator name originated a decade ago on a concept presented in 2016, followed by a Spyder in 2017 before the program fell short of its initial production goals. The XXV revives the name on a newly engineered in-house aluminum spaceframe, with every exterior panel reshaped by Coventry Prototype Panels in England. Only 25 examples are planned for production.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Inside the cabin, the gear lever rises through a rose-gold bezel, accompanied by turned aluminum dashboard elements and analog gauges. Cabin controls rely on physical switches, while a head-up display serves as the sole screen. Spyker states that a single craftsman spends four hours stitching each steering wheel using two needles, and even the screw heads inside the cabin are meticulously hand-aligned to face the same direction.

The exterior styling draws literal inspiration from the company's aviation heritage, featuring a fin running from the roof to the rear deck that echoes the 1919 C1 Aerocoque. NACA intakes feed air to the engine, headlights incorporate the XXV name into their light signature, and rear lamps take cues from jet afterburners. An isogrid pattern from aerospace structures appears on the grilles and seat upholstery.