TGR StaffAt a time when automotive brands come and go like hashtags, Hispano Suiza stands apart, anchored by a simple, stubborn idea: never say no. The company’s new “No Manifesto,” released alongside a cinematic video shot at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, isn’t just marketing. It’s a declaration of identity, a reminder that true innovation often begins with defiance.
Hispano Suiza: A Legacy Built on Refusal
For more than 120 years, Hispano Suiza has been guided by a philosophy that rejects compromise. Founded in 1904 by Damián Mateu and Swiss engineer Marc Birkigt, the company built automobiles that set new standards for engineering and elegance, quickly becoming the choice of Europe’s elite. From royalty to aviators, Hispano Suiza cars were a symbol of progress and prestige.
That same spirit carried through generations of the Mateu family, culminating in Miguel Suqué Mateu, the founder’s great-grandson. His tenure as Chairman marked the marque’s rebirth in 2019 with the unveiling of the Carmen, a fully electric hypercar that shocked the automotive world. Handcrafted in Barcelona and powered by technology derived from competition racing, the Carmen was both a nod to the past and a challenge to the future.
Suqué Mateu’s vision didn’t stop there. Under his leadership, Hispano Suiza expanded its modern lineup with the Carmen Boulogne and Carmen Sagrera, each paying tribute to the brand’s motorsport roots and its historic factory in La Sagrera. Together, they represented a new golden age for Spanish performance, blending luxury craftsmanship with avant-garde electric technology.
“No” as a Rallying Cry
The “No Manifesto” distills this heritage into a message of perseverance. In the brand’s film, Hispano Suiza’s cars prowl the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the same asphalt where they were developed, embodying the company’s resolve to defy limits. “No,” the campaign suggests, isn’t rejection; it’s resistance. It’s the moment before a breakthrough.
For a company that was told more than once that reviving a century-old brand with electric hypercars was impossible, the word “no” became fuel. The manifesto celebrates that rebellion, the courage to ignore conventional wisdom and chase audacious ideas.
No Manifesto
No
What a word
Have you ever thought about what happens when you say “No”?
You have an idea and they tell you:
It can’t be done. It’s never been done before
And what do you do?
You ignore them completely
And you keep going
Because they won’t convince you
“No” is only two letters
but they are also enough to find a thousand untrodden paths
To continue where others give up
“No” is a vision
A commitment to your ideas.
“No” is embracing excellence—not just for a second
but for more than a century.
“No” is challenging yourself
and walking alone into the unknown
It’s a silent challenge
far from the noise and the opinions of others
When you say No
it’s only you that matters
in the search for the perfect lap.
And maybe,
thanks to the fact that one day we said No,
we are still here today
And No,
we are not going to stop.
You understand me, don’t you?
The Miguel Suqué Mateu Era
When Miguel Suqué Mateu passed away earlier this year, he left behind more than a company; he left a creed. His vision reconnected Hispano Suiza to its family heritage while pushing it boldly into the future. Under his watch, the brand earned a place at the world’s most exclusive automotive gatherings, from Pebble Beach to Goodwood. There, among Bugattis and Astons, Hispano Suiza once again took its place as a symbol of European excellence.
His leadership was not just about reviving a marque but restoring a mindset that viewed innovation as an act of willpower. The “No Manifesto” stands as a tribute to that philosophy and to the man who believed that saying “no” to limits was the only way to honor the company’s history.
Beyond Nostalgia
In an era obsessed with nostalgia, Hispano Suiza’s resurgence isn’t about living in the past but proving that legacy and progress can coexist. Each Carmen is a rolling piece of art, but beneath its sculpted panels lies technology that points toward the next century of motoring.
With every turn of its electric wheels, Hispano Suiza reminds us that “no” doesn’t close doors, it builds new ones. For the artisans in Barcelona and the enthusiasts who still believe cars can be both beautiful and brave, that word remains the brand’s heartbeat.
Because at Hispano Suiza, “No” has never meant stop, it has always meant go further.
Photos Courtesy of Hispano Suiza
They are still making these?
That rear wing looks like an afterthought
I’ve never heard of the Hispano Suiza it looks super funky. Can you buy them in America?
Such an interesting car company, sadly you never see them in the US
Such a disservice to the original brand and the legacy that was once a great European car company.
I must say this article is extremely well written and makes me want to learn more about Hispano Suiza, so crazy that I have never heard of this car company.