Spyker to work closely with Lotus Cars

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Struggling Dutch luxury sports car maker Spyker said on Tuesday it has agreed to intensify its cooperation with Britain's Lotus Cars to cut costs of parts and components by sharing technology.

Spyker shares rose 6 percent to 6.35 euros by 8:39 a.m. British time.

Lotus will provide some parts for Spyker's new C8 Aileron super sports car and the two companies had signed a design and engineering agreement relating to all Spyker's future models, the firm said in a statement without giving financial details.

The two groups have already cooperated over the last four years with Lotus providing engineering services for some components of Spyker cars and worldwide certification.

Spyker, whose roots reach back more than 100 years to a family firm that once built the Golden State Coach for the Dutch royal family, makes two-seaters that retail from around 250,000 euros (200,000 pounds).

Spyker reached a deal last year to sell the Formula One team it bought in 2006 after the team made a loss in the first half of the year, pulling the company further into the red.

Reborn in 2000 and targeting the "super-car" market niche, Spyker competes with top end sports cars such as Bugatti, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and Ferrari. The original Spyker competed with Rolls-Royce before going bankrupt in 1926.