The Netherlands is best known for windmills, tulips, and a deep cycling obsession — but the Dutch have made some genuinely significant contributions to the automotive world. Whatever you might think of Max Verstappen's media presence, the man could qualify a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe on the front row at Monza with a morning's worth of practice. And when it comes to supercars, the Dutch have always had a way of doing things their own way.
Case in point: this 2008 Spyker C8 Laviolette, now listed on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos). From the outside, it's all sculptured bodywork and road-hugging menace. Step inside, though, and you might feel like you've boarded Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis.
Spyker was established at the dawn of the 21st century, drawing heavily on a historical legacy tied to aircraft engine manufacturing. The company adopted a propeller as its badge and loaded its cars with polished aluminum detailing inside and out, delivering a level of craftsmanship and finish that was genuinely rare at the time.
One glance at the gear linkage in this car explains what Spyker's engineers were aiming for. The shifter pivots around a central chromed support rod, and its visible mechanical elegance somehow manages to surpass the gated manual found in a period Ferrari. The dashboard is equally captivating: an aviation-inspired four-spoke wheel surrounded by polished concentric rings. It's art deco brought gloriously back to life.
For all its retro interior atmosphere, the mechanical package is thoroughly modern. That expressive gearshift is connected to a six-speed Getrag manual gearbox, itself married to an Audi-sourced 4.2-liter V-8 — one of the finest engine-transmission pairings of its era. The V-8 delivers 400 horsepower and produces an absolutely magnificent noise under full throttle.
The C8 wasn't the outright quickest car of its period; a contemporary Porsche 911 Turbo could leave it behind without much effort. But it was genuinely fast and agile enough to stand as a serious sports car, and as sheer automotive theater, it had almost no peers. There are endless details to absorb and appreciate.
The Laviolette body style is distinguished by a fixed tinted glass canopy roof, setting it apart from the earlier open-top Spyder variants, and production was exceptionally limited — around 60 were built. This example shows the equivalent of just 1,600 miles. It has been thoroughly refreshed by Spyker specialist Jasper den Dopper, including replacement of perishable items like weatherstripping, an ignition system service, and new dampers. The four-spoke steering wheel is a European-market replacement unit.
Den Dopper's connection to Spyker runs deeper than servicing old cars — he's actually working to revive the brand. Spyker's founder retained the rights to the name and announced a planned production restart last fall, with the Netherlands-based den Dopper designated as the specialist to bring it back to life.
Having Spyker back in the world would be a welcome reminder that performance cars don't all have to be laser-focused on lap records. Mr. Verstappen might beg to differ on that point, but this C8 Laviolette makes a convincing case that there's real value in doing things the Dutch way.
The auction ends on April 6.
