Editing Spyker (section)

==History==
[[File:Gouden koets.jpg|thumb|250px|The Netherlands' royal [[Golden Coach (Netherlands)|Golden Coach]] (1898) with [[Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange|Prince Willem-Alexander]], [[Beatrix of the Netherlands|Queen Beatrix]], and [[Princess Máxima of the Netherlands|Princess Máxima]]]]
[[File:1903 Spyker 60HP Four Wheel Drive Racing Car photo15.JPG|thumb|The 1903 Spyker 60HP was the world's first 4WD car, directly powered by an internal combustion engine, as well as the world's first 4WD race-car.{{cn|date=February 2022}}]]
In 1880, Dutch brothers Hendrik Jan and Jacobus Spijker, blacksmiths by profession, start their company for building and maintaining carriages in Hilversum, The Netherlands.

In 1898, Spyker manufactured the "[[Golden Coach (Netherlands)|Golden Coach]]", still in use as one of the two prime ceremonial state coaches of the [[Monarchy of the Netherlands|Dutch monarchy]].

In 1899 they started building [[automobile]]s, and in 1900 put their first models on display, two-cylinder 3&nbsp;hp and 5&nbsp;hp similar to the [[Benz & Cie.|Benz]].

Four-cylinder models were introduced in 1903, along with the six-cylinder ''Spyker 60 HP'', a racer which was the world's first ever [[four-wheel drive]] car with a single engine<ref>{{cite web|author=Malcolm McKay | url=http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/features/theknowledge/215358/fourwheel_drive.html |title=Four-wheel drive – The Knowledge | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503012638/http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/features/theknowledge/215358/fourwheel_drive.html | archive-date=2009-05-03 | url-status=dead |publisher=Octane magazine | date=March 2008 |access-date=2009-05-24}}</ref> and four-wheel [[brake]]s.<ref>[[Georgano, G. N.]] ''Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886-1930''. (London: Grange-Universal, 1985)</ref> It was the first ever car built with [[front-engine, four-wheel-drive layout]], and its engine with six cylinders was also a world's first.<ref>Henry, A. ''The 4-Wheel Drives : Racing's Formula for Failure?''. (London: Macmillan, 1975)</ref>

The 1905 cars featured a round radiator grille, which became a feature of many of the pre war cars. In 1907, an 18&nbsp;hp model competed in the 15,000&nbsp;km [[Peking to Paris]] monster race, finishing second in the most grueling race of its time.<ref name=spykercars/>

Hendrik-Jan Spijker died in 1907 on his return journey from England when the ferry he was on, the [[SS Berlin (1894)|SS Berlin]], sank, and this loss led to the [[bankrupt]]cy of the original company. A group of investors bought the company and restarted production, but Jacobus Spijker was no longer involved.

In 1913, the company was having financial problems again, and in 1915 was taken over by new owners and renamed ''Nederlandsche Automobiel en Vliegtuigfabriek Trompenburg'' (Dutch Car and Aircraft company). Under the new owners, the previous complex model range was simplified and a new car, the 13/30 C1, introduced; sales were disappointing.

In 1914, Spyker merged with Dutch Aircraft Factory N.V. and the company motto became ''Nulla Tenaci invia est via'' latin for "For the tenacious no road is impassable". During World War I, in which the Netherlands were neutral, some 100 Spyker fighter aircraft and 200 [[aircraft engine]]s were produced.<ref name=ABBhistory>[http://www.autobahnbound.com/2013/02/05/spykers-interesting-history/ Spyker's Interesting History – Autobahnbound.com]</ref>

In 1919, after World War I, a two-seater car, the C1 "Aerocoque", featuring aerodynamically streamlined bodywork influenced by aircraft design, was shown for the first time. It was intended as a show car, but was also produced on a very limited scale.<ref name=spykercars>[http://www.spykercars.com/heritage Heritage – Spykercars]</ref> The car's bodywork, featuring swooping fenders and an aircraft-like tail, infused by the company's knowledge of aircraft aerodynamics, was mainly designed by Jaap Tjaarda van Sterkenburg, brother of [[John Tjaarda]] and uncle of [[Tom Tjaarda]], both also car designers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.autozine.nl/spyker/nieuws/spyker-schilderijen-van-araun-gordijn |title=Spyker schilderijen van Araun Gordijn onthuld |language=nl |trans-title=Spyker paintings by Araun Gordijn unveiled |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2012-06-25 |website=AutoZine |access-date=2017-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171126220029/https://www.autozine.nl/spyker/nieuws/spyker-schilderijen-van-araun-gordijn |archive-date=2017-11-26 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On November 27, 1920 the first Spyker 30/40HP C4 was completed, sporting a 6-cylinder [[Maybach]] engine of {{convert|5742|cc|cuin|abbr=on}}. The car was nicknamed "Tenax" (latin for "tenacious") and improved the {{convert|15000|mi|km|adj=on}} long-distance endurance record, held since 1907 by the [[Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost]] by some 6,000&nbsp;km. The C4 completed 30,360&nbsp;km in the Dutch winter weather in just over a month.<ref name=ABBhistory/>

In 1922, racing driver [[Selwyn Edge]] took to Brooklands in a Spyker C4 fitted with streamlined racing bodywork, setting a new "Double 12" average world speed record, covering 1,782 miles (2,868&nbsp;km) at an average speed of {{convert|120|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} for the 24 hour aggregate of two 12-hour periods.<ref>''The Manchester Guardian'', 21 July 1922, Page 7.</ref><ref name=ABBhistory/>

Also in 1922, the company went bankrupt again and was acquired by Spyker's distributor in Britain, who renamed the company ''Spyker Automobielfabriek''. Production continued and prices dropped but the company continued to decline. Final production was of the C2 two-ton truck and the C4 car, which lasted until 1926 when funds finally ran out.

It is estimated total Spyker car production was at most 2000 cars.

In 1999, a new company, [[Spyker Cars]], was founded, unrelated to the original company but for the brand name, motto and logo.