The company Spyker. He heard a lot from them, by both posivitive and negative messages about this Dutch manufacterer. Thanks to a deal which was made around December 2012 Spyker Cars is able to develop itself, helped by the Chinese company Youngman. In Geneva we spoke with some gentlemen of the company, about the B6 Venator Concept and the future plans for the company. A distinct conversation about het exclusive brand Spyker.
Of course there were other supercars which caused massive hypes in the months before Geneva. But what was the biggest surprise of them all was a teaser of Spyker’s B6 Venator Concept. What influence the deal had for the B6 we don’t know. Spyker lives up to their slogan, Nulla tenaci invia est via, for the full 100 percent. This is Latin for: ‘Anything can be done as you as you hold on.’ Owner Victor Muller still is the driving force behind the brand which has gone through various deep declines but still exists, different from other car companies over the last few years. We seriously respect this. In Geneva we had the possibility to ask some questions to John Walton, Chief Commercial Officer, and Peter van Rooy, Global Sales Manager, to talk about the plans of Spyker with the B6 Venator.
Why Geneva and why the B6 Concept
The parlour of Geneva is the most important parlour in the World when it comes to automotive news. Spyker has always been present over the last few years. It isn’t only a good chance to draw international attention, it’s also possible to have a conversation with potential customers, customers and fans of the brand Spyker. Geneva is the best place for Spyker, between all other big car manufacterers. The impression people get during the introduction is crucial for the success of the B6 Venator.
Spyker Cars N.V. doesn’t make a restart but you can say the B6 Venator Concept opens a new chapter for the brand Spyker, that’s what Walton says. The idée behind the compact sportcars is to make the brand more reachable, something which can make Spyker lucrative in the short term. Producing a lucrative supercar can be hard for a small company, and only a few companies achieved this, like Koenigsegg and Pagani. These are brands that can realise positive balance with only a few car. With the B6 Venator Spyker will be reachable, but it’s also a product to keep the shareholders satisfied. The sales of the sportcar need a boost, without losing exclusivity.
What can we expect of the B6 Concept?
An unique product with the DNA of the brand Spyker. Walton talks about a very detailed design, tailor-made materials and elements inspired by aviation. People buy a Spyker to enjoy driving in its purest form without losing any luxury. For this basic model, Spyker chose for a V6-engine, because it’s important to be as environment-friendly as possible nowadays. Due the use of carbon fiber, a material which is easier for Spyker to produce than an aliminium body, the weight stays low, 1400 kilograms. Spyker is striving to reach 1350 kilograms, driver and fluids included. The V6 is good enough for 380 bhp. The topspeed will be between 175 and 185 mph, so that’s 295 km/h as a maximum. Where the production will take place we don’t know yet, Spyker is discussing this with various potential partners.
The production version of the B6 Venator will be an unique alternative for what’s called the High Luxury Sports-segment. Walton says it doesn’t even have direct concurrents because people buy a Spyker as their third car of maybe even their sixth car. It’s a car that’s like an English tailor-made suit or Italian Shoes, completely made for you. Walton replishes this explicit with the words 'What is choice?’. We talk about a lifestyle-product, something which is more than something with four wheels.
Which markets have chances?
Spyker hopes the sales of B6 Venator are around 400 cars yearly. The last years some changes found place on the exclusive automotive sector. Of course the United States is an important market but the Russian market is the most interesting of them all. Here, an massive grow took place in a short time. This market is also important seeing the fact that a Spyker-dealer is located in Moscow, the König Motor Club. Other markets Spyker is interested at are Asia and the Middle-East. These are markets with growing welth where the richest search an totally unique product. The C8 Aileron and B6 Venator might be the answer to this. In that case the B6 Venator turn Spyker into a bigger manufacterer.
How does the future look like for Spyker?
This is something you can’t really answer. Some changes are ahead, but they have to be realized in first case. In early 2014 the Spyker B6 Venator will be ready for production. Within 24 months of that, a new C8 Aileron will come. At the moment Spyker is busy testing a supercharger for the Audi V8-engine which gives power to the C8 Aileron. If the supercharger passes all tests, powers over 500 bhp are reachable. Spyker tries to focus to the DNA of the brand and look for what’s possible based on achieved results. The coming of the D12 Peking to Paris is still a very actual subject, partly because many other manufacturers come up with their super-SUV, like Lamborghini, Maserati and Bentley, so Spyker still wants to put the car into production. For the Russian and Chinese market this car can give the company success, for which they worked so hard over the years.
