That Spyker was to unveil a Spyder version of its
B6 Venator
soon was known to us; we certainly had no knowledge the press release was coming at five o'clock on a Friday!
Not for the shy and retiring then
But we're conscientious types here at PH, so here's what you need to know. The Venator (it's Latin for Hunter, a nod to Spyker's aviation heritage) Spyder has been unveiled at The Quail, the same motorsport event at Pebble Beach that has just witnessed the
BMW M4
That Spyker CEO Victor Muller chose Pebble Beach to premiere his latest creation probably says a lot about the kind of customer Spyker is aiming at. But it remains confident the car is for drivers too, 'an exquisite drop-top that begs to be driven on the Pacific Coast Highway' apparently.
The Venator Spyder is essentially identical to the coupe sans roof. Its aluminium chassis is clothed in carbon fibre panels, with a claimed kerbweight of under 1,400kg.
Typically exquisite detailing for new Spyker
Power comes from the same mid-mounted transverse V6 with 'more than 375hp'. This sort of spec perhaps makes the Spyder's most natural rival the
Porsche 911 Cabriolet
, although the Spyker is auto-only. Given it features that fantastic exposed gearshift, it seems a shame to not have it functioning as often as possible.
The 'inspired by aviation' theme continues elsewhere. The red ignition switch cover is intended to evoke the aura of classic planes, and the dash illuminates on start-up 'as part of the pre-flight check'. More welcome is the turned aluminium dash, as beautiful now as it was on the original C8.
The Spyder's debut has also brought firm details on a production date and price. Chief Commercial Officer of Spyker John Walton has suggested a "more accessible price" of approximately $150,000 (around £95,000), which again places it firmly in 911 Cabriolet territory. Production for Europe and Asia begins at the end of 2014, with America version being built from 2015.