Sleek and sophisticated, swift and luxurious, the Spyker C8 Spyder SWB is built for the car aficionado elite. Dripping with strikingly intricate details such as its aviation-inspired Chronoswiss dashboard, four-spoke propeller steering wheel, exposed gear linkage and option for a custom made-to-fit Louis Vuitton luggage set for the trunk, the Spyker experience is unlike any other in the luxury automotive universe.

With its sexy lines, Spyker’s proportions are perfectly balanced: the long overhang at the nose and the short rear section of the car give it a dynamic, powerful elegance. Part retro and all class, Spyker’s doors life up from the ground to invite the driver in for a true taste of driving luxury.

The key itself is unlike any other car key as it is simply an alloy disc with four buttons on one side and a watch glass to the reverse to show the internal electronics. One button unlocks the doors and switches off the immobilizer, another unlocks the trunk/engine compartment, while the other two buttons (L and R) release each of the doors. Anything on the car that is not machined and polished aluminum is covered with quilted leather and alcantara.

Spyker's rich heritage spans back more than a century and incorporates racing and aviation in its designs. Founded in 1898 by brothers, Jacobus and Hendrik- Jan Spijker, coach builders in Amsterdam who built their first Mercedes Benz-engined motor car that won them immediate acclaim for the craftsmanship of their bodywork. In the same year, Spyker built the famous Golden State Coach, which is still in use today to commemorate the forthcoming coronation of the Dutch queen, Wilhelmina. In 1903, Spyker produced an all-wheel-drive car, the 60/80. In the period preceding WW1, there was a luxury car market slump that resulted in Spyker merging with the Dutch Aircraft Factory. During the war, Spyker made around 100 aircraft for Dutch Biggles, which is how the Spyker automotive line came to inherit its unusual aviation-esque details.

Today, Spyker continues to make headlines. In March of this year, Spyker unveiled the C8 Laviolette long-wheelbase (LWB) at the Geneva Motor Show, and in June, the C8 Laviolette GT2R will be racing at 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France.

The chassis of the C8 is built from extruded box sections and folded sheet. The body panels are hand-crafted from an aluminum sheet of outstanding durability and is almost as dent resistant as steel. All of the exterior details, such as the wing mirrors, the beautiful air intakes and the wheels, also are hand-crafted from aluminum.

After ordering a Spyker, the identity of the car—its chassis number—and that of its owner become intertwined. The owner is provided with a personalized web page, which contains every important piece of information on the car. The car's build sheet is updated every time work is done to the car so that the owner can keep track of the building process and maintenance history of the car. Via his or her personal web pages, the owner can even follow the building process of his car as it is being assembled in the Spyker factory by means of a web cam. Inside and out, the Spyker C8 Spyder SWB is made for only the most passionate of car lovers. To own one is to be a part of an elite group who not only want to buy the best car money can buy, but those who also want a car built specifically for their exclusive tastes.