TGR Staff
Odds are you haven't heard of Hispano Suiza, the Spanish carmaker founded by A Spanish entrepreneur and Swiss engineer in 1900. World War I put a damper on the car business in Europe, but the company survived by making aircraft engines, in 1919 they returned to producing cars that could rival the finest in the world. Car production was brought to an end in 1936 with the arrival of the Spanish Civil War, followed by World War II. While the company survived they never really returned to producing cars the and automotive division was sold off in 1946.
Fast forward 2010 and a new company using the name Hispano Suiza unveils a Gran Turismo Coupé Concept Car at the Geneva Motor Show, but production is never realized. Jump ahead again to 2019 and now two companies show up at the Geneva Motor Show both claiming to own the right to the Hispano Suiza name. One the same company from 2010, the other founded by the fourth generation the Suqué Mateu family who also claim ownership of the brand, and have released a new version of the car they unveiled in 2019, the Hispano Suiza Carmen.
Now that you are caught up on the history, let's look at the 2022 Hispano Suiza Carmen Boulogne, an all-electric hypercar delivering 1098 hp, a top speed limited to 180 mph, a sub-three second 0-60 time. While 14 of the standard Carmen will be built, just five of the Carmen Boulogne will be produced from the Hispano Suiza's Barcelona factory.
The Boulogne name harkens back to 1921 when a Hispano Suiza H6 Coupe was entered in the George Boillot Cup, an endurance race around the French city of Boulogne. The H6 would go on to win three times in a row from 1921-1923.
Powered by four permanent-magnet synchronous engines, two on each rear wheel, using sophisticated torque vectoring systems developed and proven in Formula E, the 1180 lb-ft of torque allows for unparalleled acceleration. The lithium-ion polymer battery has a capacity of 80 kWh that allows it to develop a driving range of up to 248 miles. The batteries are an in-house design and according to Hispano Suiza can fast charge from 30-80% in just 30 minutes.
As expected the entire body is carbon fiber, and all Carmen Boulogne will be finished in clear to showcase the carbon weave. The Boulogne also gets copper-colored accents. Hispano Suiza also says that each car will be fully customizable by their 'Unique Tailormade' department, so each car will be bespoke to the lucky five owners who get one.
The price for all this bespoke carbon fiber and neck-snapping electronic acceleration? Two million dollars, with a delivery date set for some time in 2022.
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