Zagato Spyker C12 La Turbie

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The special model, which has not yet been christened, will have a body penned by Italian design house Zagato. All 25 units of the Zagato Spyker C12 La Turbie have been sold at a price ($345,625) double that of a standard C12.

The Spyker C12 La Turbie made its worldwide debut during the Geneva Motor Show in 2005. It was the first Spyker powered by the 6.0-liter W12 Audi engine.

Spyker will also roll out a "drivable" version of its D12 Peking-to-Paris, a concept presented in 2006 at the Geneva show.

What this means to you: Too late. You'll have to admire the latest version of the C12 from afar, since they are all spoken for.

Unlike high-end sports cars from Aston Martin, Ferrari and Lamborghini, which are laden with electronic systems, the Spyker C12 La Turbie relies on superior mechanics with few computerized components. This makes it the six-figure supercar of choice for purists who consider digital devices an impediment to the ultimate connection between driver and machine.

Spyker's rich heritage reaches back to 1898 and encompasses racing and aviation. Previously shuttered in 1925, the 60-employee company based in Zeewolde, Holland, was resurrected in 2000 by

Dutch tycoon Victor Muller, Spyker’s chief executive. Its latest supercars have been sold in Europe since 2001 but only came to the U.S. last year.

The Spiker C12 LaTurbie is the most powerful Spyker to date. It's hand built — like all Spykers — with aluminum body panels and an aluminum space frame that shroud an Audi-sourced 500-hp 6.0-liter W12 engine located just ahead of the rear axle, or "mid-mounted." Think of it as two V6 engines sharing one crankshaft. Versions of this engine are found in the Audi A8 and Bentley Continental models.

With the engine's 500 hp fed through a six-speed manual transmission to the rear wheels, this lightweight supercar (3,362 pounds) screams to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 196 mph. The Spiker C12 La Turbie is in league with the world's top supercars, including the all-new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, Lamborghini Murciélago LP640, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren and Saleen S7. American contenders such as the Dodge Viper SRT10 and Chevrolet Corvette Z06 offer similar performance for much less money, but these beasts are crude by comparison and don't muster the

sheer elegance, impeccable craftsmanship and extravagance that the Spiker C12 La Turbie exudes.

The car's stainless-steel adjustable suspension system is patterned after Formula One race cars' suspensions. In this regard, it features shock absorbers made by noted suspension experts Koni that are mounted inboard rather than next to each wheel, as on virtually every other non-racing vehicle.

The C12 La Turbie dispenses with electronic traction- and stability-control systems, making do with antilock brakes and a limited-slip differential. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard; nineteen-inch "Aeroblade" wheels with spokes that

look like propeller blades are optional and improve brake cooling and vehicle aerodynamics. Many other details on the Spiker C12 La Turbie and Spyker's other model, the C8, are meant to evoke the company's past airplane production, including a propeller-blade logo, propeller-shaped steering-wheel spokes, textured aluminum interior panels, numerous round instrument dials and quilted leather upholstery.

Styling is derived from the C8 Spyder but features a larger front grille, redesigned headlights and the longer rear end of the C8 Double 12 S. The wheelbase on the Spiker C12 La Turbie is a little more than half an inch longer than the C8's.

The exterior design looks sleek and clean, thanks to few cut lines (where one body panel ends and another begins). Push a button on the round aluminum key fob and the doors scissor upward electrically. There's no key — an electronic card given to each owner automatically unlocks the doors when approaching the vehicle. A dash-mounted start button fires up the engine.

The car has two trunks — one up front and one in the rear — and a leather luggage set custom-made to fit them. A special Louis Vuitton set can be ordered.

The snug interior impeccably crafted in leather and aluminum is similar to the C8 Spyder's. Gauges have been designed by high-end Swiss watchmaker Chronoswiss, which also produces limited-edition Spyker branded wristwatches.

Among the interior's most interesting features are the polished transmission rod that bisects the cabin and the red fighter-jet-style cover that conceals a switch which must be flipped before the engine can be started — an obvious nod to Spyker's background in aviation.

Spykers are sold in minute numbers in the U.S. through an 11-dealer network to affluent auto enthusiasts looking for distinction even among the world’s costliest and most exotic cars.

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