Monday, March 11, 2013

Spyker B6 Venator “Concept” Signifies Automaker’s Comeback at Geneva

Spyker B6 Venator “Concept” Signifies Automaker’s Comeback at Geneva Dutch automaker Spyker is planning a big comeback that hinges on its new Aston Martin V8 Vantage- and Porsche 911-fighter, a concept of which debuts at the Geneva Motor Show. Dubbed the Spyker B6 Venator concept, The Wall Street Journal reports this mid-engined sports car will go on sale with a price in the $150,000 range.

Spyker B6 Venator “Concept” Signifies Automaker’s Comeback at Geneva

Spyker B6 Venator “Concept” Signifies Automaker’s Comeback at Geneva

 Spyker B6 Venator “Concept” Signifies Automaker’s Comeback at Geneva

Spyker B6 Venator “Concept” Signifies Automaker’s Comeback at Geneva









Spyker B6 Venator “Concept” Signifies Automaker’s Comeback at Geneva

Named for the Latin word for “hunter,” the new Spyker B6 Venator couldn’t be mistaken for anything but a Spyker. Up front, the B6 Venator sports new LED accents, Spyker’s signature V-mesh grille, and “Spyker” written in a similar script that graced the company’s 1903 60 HP race car.

Spyker B6 Venator interior 300x187 imageLike the Spyker C8 and C12, the Venator pays tribute to Spyker’s aircraft manufacturer heritage with an airplane-inspired interior. The aluminum and leather interior features the automaker’s signature exposed gear change mechanism, as well as an engine start button hidden under a red cover.

Powering the B6 Venator will be a mid-mounted V-6 that’s mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The V-6 is said to make about 375 hp, though no other engine specs are available. Given Spyker’s history of using Audi-sourced powertrains, we suspect the Venator is powered by Audi’s 3.0-liter supercharged V-6, which makes 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque in the S5.
The Spyker B6 Venator features a carbon fiber body that sits on an aluminum chassis. Given the lightweight materials and small dimensions, the report says the B6 will weigh less than 3080 pounds – which, coincidentally, is just about the same as Porsche’s claimed curb weight for a base-model 2013 911 with the PDK automatic transmission.

Flush with cash thanks to a partnership with Chinese automaker Youngman Lotus, the B6 Venator will likely join the D8 Peking-to-Paris SUV as one of two new Spykers set to debut in 2014.

Source: The Wall Street Journal