HomeMediaDutch automaker Spyker rescued by Russian investors

Dutch automaker Spyker rescued by Russian investors

Innovative supercar builder signs agreement to rebuild foundering company

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Dutch sports car marque Spyker has announced a considerable new investment from Russian businessmen Boris Rotenberg and Michail Pessis.

Rotenberg is the co-founder of Russia’s SMP Bank and co-founder of successful race team SMP Racing and race car constructor BR Engineering. Pessis is the founder of several design and customization companies, including German tuner R-Company, an expert in the production of OEM-standard carbon-fiber products.

Rotenberg and Pessis are also owners of modern Spyker cars. That’s an exclusive club, mind you, since only 265 Spykers have been built since the modern company was established in 1999.

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The Spyker B6 Venator concept car

Co-founder of the modern Spyker, Victor Muller, will continue as CEO under the new arrangement.

“The collaboration agreement which we signed today, is the high light of months of our relentless efforts to build a solid Spyker company which disposes of both technical as well as financial means to achieve its business objectives,” Muller said.

BR Engineering, R-Company, and luxury goods company Milan Morady will be involved in the development and production of new company products at a site in Germany. Starting in 2021 will be production of the latest version of the Spyker C8 Preliator supercar first shown in 2017. It will be followed at some point by the B6 Venator sports car unveiled in 2013, and the D8 Peking-to-Paris SUV that was unveiled back in 2006.

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The Spyker D12 Peking to Paris concept

In 2021, Spyker will open a new flagship store in Monaco, and there are plans to take the company racing again, via a tie-up with SMP Racing, which competes in multiple competitions including the World Endurance Championship’s LMP2 class. The automaker fielded a Formula 1 team in 2007 but the costs were a huge drag on the tiny company and the team was sold the next year and rebranded Force India.

Spyker’s biggest setback, however, was its failed purchase of Saab in 2010. Saab was declared bankrupt the following year and Spyker was forced into bankruptcy in 2014. There was an attempt to turn things around in 2016 with funding from American electric aircraft startup Volta Volare, though the deal went nowhere and Spyker has been on the hunt for new investors ever since.

This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com.

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