Spyker E12

The Spyker E12 was an ambitious venture announced in 2012 by the Dutch luxury‑car maker Spyker Cars, a brand better known for its handcrafted sports automobiles. Seeking to translate its design ethos and carbon‑fiber expertise into the skies, Spyker filed a formal application with the European Aviation Safety Agency to develop a 12‑seat, twin‑engine business jet. The project aimed to combine automotive styling cues—such as a sleek, low‑profile nose and an interior reminiscent of Spyker’s cockpit‑inspired cabins—with cutting‑edge aerospace technology. The E12 was to be built largely from advanced composite materials, yielding a lightweight airframe that promised lower fuel burn and a range of roughly 3 500 km. Powered by two small turbofan engines, the aircraft targeted a cruise speed near Mach 0.78 while offering a cabin that could be reconfigured for executive, medical‑evacuation, or regional‑commuter roles. Although a prototype never left the drawing board and the program was halted in 2014 due to financing constraints, the Spyker E12 remains significant as a bold cross‑industry experiment. It highlighted the potential for automotive manufacturers to influence aviation design, spurring renewed interest in lightweight, carbon‑fiber business jets throughout the sector.