After financial issues of recent years, boutique Dutch supercar manufacturer Spyker is not only staying afloat – it’s growing. Spyker sales almost doubled in 2008 from 26 to 43 units, and while the gain is paltry, progress is progress.
Spyker plans to grow its model range with the addition of the “Peking-to-Paris” SUV. First shown in concept form at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, the D12 Peking-to-Paris Concept met a warm reception with “well over 100 orders” being placed during the show alone.
Now it appears Spyker is finally preparing to deliver. Caught in prototype testing form, the mule pictured is clearly riding on a Land Rover Defender chassis. Lotus is working closely with Spyker behind the scenes to develop the suspension to world-class standards.
Engines are officially unknown at this point, but you can expect them to be Audi-sourced given Spyker’s close ties with Audi for the powerplants in the C8. The Peking-to-Paris Concept’s “D12” designation was in reference to the concept’s Audi W12 engine, but rumors suggest that the production Peking-to-Paris will wear a “D8” designation to refer to a variant of Audi’s 4.2 liter V8 (as employed in the Audi R8).
Designed by Michiel van den Brink (who has since left Spyker and started his own coachbuilding company known as Vandenbrink Design), the styling draws many cues from the Spyker C8.
The Peking-to-Paris name references the 1907 race from Peking (now known as Beijing, China) to Paris, France. The race lasted three months and Spyker proudly finished second.
Pricing is estimated to fall around $300,000 USD.
Images are courtesy of Autogespot and Spyker Cars.
