Spyker

This article is about the historic car maker. For the contemporary brand, see Spyker Cars. For other meanings, see Spyker (disambiguation).

Spyker

File:Spyker Cars logo.svg The emblem combining a spoked wheel and aircraft propeller was introduced around 1915
Industry	Automotive Aviation
Founded	Template:Date and age
Founder	Jacobus and Hendrik-Jan Spijker
Defunct	Template:Date and age
Fate	Bankruptcy
Headquarters	Netherlands
Key people	Jacobus and Hendrik-Jan Spijker, founders
Products	handcrafted coaches, carriages, automobiles, and airplanes

Spyker, also spelled Spijker, was a Dutch firm specializing in the production of carriages, automobiles, and aircraft. Established in 1880 by blacksmith brothers Jacobus and Hendrik-Jan Spijker, the company initially operated out of Hilversum before moving to Trompenburg in Amsterdam in 1898.

Among Spyker's prominent achievements was the construction of the Golden Coach in 1898, which remains one of the two principal ceremonial coaches used by the Dutch royal family. In 1903, the Spyker 60 HP racecar became the first vehicle worldwide to feature a front-engine, four-wheel-drive configuration. This model also introduced the pioneering use of a six-cylinder engine alongside a four-wheel braking system. The 1919 C1 “Aerocoque” was among the earliest automobiles designed with aerodynamically streamlined bodywork.Template:Fix/category

History

File:Gouden koets.jpg

The Dutch royal Golden Coach (1898) with Prince Willem-Alexander, Queen Beatrix, and Princess Máxima

File:1903 Spyker 60HP Four Wheel Drive Racing Car photo15.JPG

The 1903 Spyker 60HP was the first internal combustion engine-powered four-wheel-drive automobile and also the earliest four-wheel-drive racing car.Template:Fix/category

In 1880, blacksmith brothers Hendrik Jan and Jacobus Spijker founded their enterprise in Hilversum, Netherlands, focusing on building and repairing horse-drawn carriages.

By 1898, Spyker produced the "Golden Coach", which continues to serve as one of two main ceremonial state coaches for the Dutch monarchy.

The company ventured into automobile manufacturing in 1899, unveiling their first models in 1900: two-cylinder engines rated at 3 hp and 5 hp, resembling those made by Benz.

In 1903, Spyker introduced four-cylinder vehicles alongside the six-cylinder Spyker 60 HP, a racing car that was globally groundbreaking as the first four-wheel-drive automobile powered by a single engine equipped with brakes on all four wheels. This vehicle was also notable for being the first to combine a front-engine layout with four-wheel drive and featuring a six-cylinder engine for the first time worldwide.

By 1905, Spyker vehicles incorporated a rounded radiator grille design that became characteristic of many pre-World War I models. An 18 hp version participated in the arduous 15,000 km Peking to Paris race in 1907, securing second place in one of that era's toughest competitions.

Tragedy struck in 1907 when Hendrik-Jan Spijker died during his return from England after the ferry he was aboard, the SS Berlin, sank. This event precipitated bankruptcy for the original company. Subsequently, investors acquired it and resumed production without Jacobus Spijker's involvement.

Financial difficulties reemerged by 1913; new ownership took control in 1915 and rebranded the firm as Nederlandsche Automobiel en Vliegtuigfabriek Trompenburg (Dutch Automobile and Aircraft Factory Trompenburg). Under this management, product complexity was reduced with introduction of the simpler model 13/30 C1; however, sales did not meet expectations.

In 1914, Spyker merged with Dutch Aircraft Factory N.V., adopting the motto Nulla Tenaci invia est via, Latin for "For the tenacious no road is impassable". During World War I—while the Netherlands remained neutral—the company produced approximately one hundred fighter planes along with two hundred aircraft engines.

Following World War I in 1919, Spyker introduced the C1 "Aerocoque", a two-seater automobile distinguished by its streamlined bodywork inspired by aircraft design principles. Initially conceived as a concept vehicle, it saw limited production. The aerodynamic styling—with sweeping fenders and an aviation-inspired tail—was primarily crafted by Jaap Tjaarda van Sterkenburg, who was related to fellow automotive designers John Tjaarda and Tom Tjaarda.

On November 27, 1920, Spyker completed its first 30/40HP C4 model featuring a six-cylinder 5,742 cc (350.4 cu in) Maybach engine. Nicknamed "Tenax"—Latin for "tenacious"—this vehicle surpassed the long-distance endurance record previously held since 1907 by the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, covering over 30,000 kilometres (19,000 mi) during harsh Dutch winter conditions within just over a month.

In 1922 at Brooklands racetrack, driver Selwyn Edge piloted a Spyker C4 outfitted with streamlined racing bodywork to establish a new "Double 12" world speed record. The car covered 2,868 kilometres (1,782 mi) (1,782 miles) at an average speed of 120 kilometres per hour (75 mph) across two aggregated twelve-hour sessions.

That same year marked another bankruptcy for Spyker; it was subsequently purchased by its British distributor who renamed it Spyker Automobielfabriek. Production persisted with reduced pricing but continued decline led to cessation in 1926. The last models produced included the C2 two-ton truck and C4 passenger car.

Overall production estimates suggest no more than approximately two thousand Spyker automobiles were manufactured.

In 1999, an unrelated enterprise named Spyker Cars was established; it adopted only the original brand’s name, motto, and emblem without connection to its historical predecessor.

Licensed manufacturing and vehicle leasing

Prior to Hendrik-Jan Spijker's passing, he and his sibling had established a notable connection with Dutch electrical innovator, Rento Hofstede Crull. The Spijker siblings were acquainted with Hofstede Crull during his youth when he competed in velocipede races across the Netherlands and Germany while pursuing engineering studies—initially in Mittweida and later at the Technische Hochschule Hannover in the 1880s. Hofstede Crull had acquired his first automobile in the 1890s and, by the early 1900s, amassed a collection of vehicles that included several Spijker racing cars. This collection was stored within a section of Heemaf, one of the enterprises he had founded. Although initially a pastime, Hofstede Crull began assembling Spijker automobiles at Heemaf with the consent of the Spijker brothers and later with approval from their successors. He contributed enhancements to the vehicles during this process. However, Heemaf's board of directors expressed concerns that Hofstede Crull was utilizing part of the factory as a private garage and parking space. To address these objections, he founded the Spijker Automobiel Verhuur Maatschappij, which, alongside Amsterdam's Trompenburg Bedrijf, emerged as one of the Netherlands' first car rental firms. Another enterprise under his direction was the American Refined Motor Company, which specialized in advancing mechanical motor components. This initiative originated from a 1909 automobile accident involving him, Hofstede Crull, and their chauffeur Poorthuis, after which they identified and rectified a flaw in the Spijker's steering system.

Automobile models

File:1903-Spyker-60-HP-1920x1440.jpg

Spyker 60 HP (1903)

File:Spyker 60 H.P. 1903.jpg

Spyker 60 HP (1903)

File:SpykerC2.jpg

Spyker C2 truck

File:1905 Spyker 12slash16-HP Double Phaeton photo1.JPG

The 1905 Spyker 12/16-HP Double Phæton featured as Ambrose Claverhouse's vehicle in the film Genevieve. As of 2012, this automobile is preserved at the Louwman Museum in the Netherlands. A film still is visible in the background.

Model	Production Years	Specifications
Spijker 3 hp	1900–1902	2-cylinder engine
Spijker 5 hp	1900
Spijker 5 hp	1900	boxer engine
Spijker 6 hp	1902	water-cooled engine
Spijker 10/12	1903	2-cylinder engine
Spyker 20/24	1903–1904	4-cylinder engine
Spijker 36/50	1903	6-cylinder engine 5,073 cc (309.6 cu in)
Spyker 60/80	1903–1907	6-cylinder engine 8,821 cc (538.3 cu in)
Spyker 16/20	1903–1907	4-cylinder engine
Spyker 30/36	1903–1907
Spyker 14/18	1904–1907	4-cylinder engine 2,544 cc (155.2 cu in)
Spyker 20/28	1904–1907	4-cylinder engine
Spyker 25/36	1904–1905	4-cylinder engine 7,964 cc (486.0 cu in) with optional four-wheel drive
Spyker 32/40	1904–1905	4-cylinder engine with optional four-wheel drive
Spyker 15/22	1905–1907	4-cylinder engine 3,456 cc (210.9 cu in)
Spyker 10/15	1907	4-cylinder engine
Spyker 15/22	1907	4-cylinder engine 2,799 cc (170.8 cu in)
Spyker 20/30	1907	4-cylinder engine 4,562 cc (278.4 cu in)
Spyker 30/42	1907	4-cylinder engine 6,902 cc (421.2 cu in)

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Aircraft

• Spijker V.1 - single-seat fighter from 1917
• Spijker V.2 - trainer aircraft introduced in 1917
• Spijker V.3 - 1919 single-seat fighter model
• Spijker V.4 - reconnaissance plane designed for two crew members; construction halted prior to completion

Spyker on stamps and in film

Both Spyker automobile models have been featured on Dutch postage stamps, with the first issuance dated May 10, 2004.

The 1905 Spyker 12/16-HP Double Phaeton, driven by Kenneth More in the 1953 movie Genevieve, which centers on the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, is notable for its appearances. Originally painted green, the vehicle underwent two color changes to yellow: once for the film and again in 2023 during the Run, marking the film’s 70th anniversary.

See also

• Spyker Cars

External links

• Company history at RitzSite

Model	Production Years	Specifications
Spyker 40/80	1907	4-cylinder engine 10,603 cc (647.0 cu in)
Spyker 15/22	1907–1910	4-cylinder engine 2,799 cc (170.8 cu in)
Spyker 60/80	1909	4-cylinder engine
Spyker 10/15	1910–1912	4-cylinder engine; delivery van variant
Spyker 15/25	1910–1912	4-cylinder engine; delivery van variant
Spyker 12	1910–1914	4-cylinder engine
Spyker 16	1910–1912	4-cylinder engine
Spyker 18	1910–1912	4-cylinder engine
Spyker 25	1910–1912	4-cylinder engine 4,589 cc (280.0 cu in)
Spyker 25/30	1911–1912	6-cylinder engine
Spyker 20	1912–1916	4-cylinder engine 3,435 cc (209.6 cu in)
Spyker 30	1912–1916	4-cylinder engine 6,082 cc (371.1 cu in)
Spyker 40	1912–1916	6-cylinder engine 7,238 cc (441.7 cu in)
Spyker 14	1913–1916	4-cylinder engine
Spyker 12	1914–1916	4-cylinder engine 1,795 cc (109.5 cu in)
Spyker 13/30 C1	1916–1921	4-cylinder engine 3,560 cc (217 cu in)
Spyker 14/34 C1	1920–1921	4-cylinder engine 3,562 cc (217.4 cu in)
Spyker C2	1916–1926	4-cylinder engine 4,607 cc (281.1 cu in); two-ton truck
Spyker 30/40 C4	1920–1926	6-cylinder Maybach motor 5,742 cc (350.4 cu in)