If you want to set yourself apart from all the Porsche, McLaren, Ferrari and Lamborghini owners at your next local Cars & Coffee, you’re going to need something either quite expensive or quite unique. Today’s article is about a car that fulfills both these criteria. With similar units having been sold for over $300,000 USD on Bring a Trailer and being the only one of its kind in Canada, the Spyker C8 Laviolette is one of the rarest cars I’ve had the chance to shoot.
Let’s start with how I had the opportunity to shoot this beautiful machine. During Porsche Prestige’s 2019 Oktoberfest Cars & Coffee, my friend and fellow automotive photographer, Khalil, stumbled upon the Spyker parked on the lower portion of the lot. I had seen this Spyker maybe once before in real life and a couple of times in photos, but this was my first real opportunity to fully appreciate it firsthand. While admiring the car, Khalil and I had decided that we were going to ask the owner if he would be interested in allowing us to set up a proper shoot with his Spyker. After exchanging contact information and a few emails, a shoot day was planned!
For those of who you are not familiar with the brand, Spyker is a Dutch car brand that has been around in its current form since 1999 and is known for its airplane inspired mid-engined supercars with a highly distinctive design and meticulously crafted interiors. This particular unit is a 2008 C8 Laviolette, and according to the owner, it is one of only 2 Spykers in the country, the other one reportedly being a C8 Spyder, which makes this C8 Laviolette the only one of its kind in Canada.
Interestingly enough, the C8 Laviolette appeared in 2001 – one year after the Spyder version – and its design takes visual cues from the 1999 Silvestris V8 concept car, although the proportions were vastly changed (thank goodness; click here and you will understand).
Power comes from an Audi 4.2-L V8 engine that produces 395 horsepower and allows the car to reach 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, as well as a top speed of 300 km/h. The car that I had the chance to shoot is equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission, which features unique exposed linkage. The impressive number of details throughout the car is truly astonishing.
Unfortunately, Spyker has not been doing very well in recent years and has been struggling financially. I truly hope that the brand makes a come back because I believe that they build stunning, and very underrated cars that deserve to have a place in today’s supercar market. Thanks again to the owner of the C8 Laviolette for allowing us the opportunity to photograph your truly one of a kind vehicle!
Photography by Olivier Lessard