Have you ever heard of – The 1927 Hispano Suiza H6B?

Whilst we can happily assure you that working at Car & Classic is a very busy job indeed, there is no escaping the fact that a bit of time is spent browsing the classifieds. But it’s a good thing, because it means we can bring cars like this 1927 Hispano Suiza H6B Park Ward foursome Coupe to your attention.

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Chris Pollitt

The name Hispano Suiza might not set off the old bells of recollection, but some of the technology to come out of the company’s various factories will. You see, Hispano Suiza (which means Hispanic Swiss, in case you were wondering) was a veritable powerhouse of technology in the early 1900s. In fact, even before that, the Barcelona-based firm was a busy pioneer, producing an all-electric car way back in 1898 while under the leadership of the founder, artillery captain Emillio de la Cuadra.

Hispano Suiza, Hispano Suiza H6B, H6B, coachbuilt car

Over the next 10-15 years, the company went through a few leadership changes. De la Cuarda employed Swiss engineer Marc Birkigt, then in around 1902 ownership went to José María Castro Fernández and the company became Fábrica Hispano-Suiza de Automóviles (Spanish-Swiss Automobile Factory). Then, as if that wasn’t enough, that company went bankrupt in 1903. Castro wasn’t finished yet though, and in 1904 the company reappeared.

It was in those early days that the company started to make engines. And trucks. And buses. And planes. Oh, and luxury cars, of course. They were, to say the least, very busy. Factories were popping up all over Spain. The aeronautical side of things was where the major work was being done, with Birkigt and his team coming up with the idea for the aluminium cast engine block for the V8 engines the company was using in planes. The same engine was also famous for being fitted with overhead cams – something of a revolution at the time. It was Hispano Suiza’s engines that would go on to be built under license and power the majority of the French and British planes in WW1. Impressive.

Hispano Suiza, Hispano Suiza H6B, H6B, coachbuilt car, H6B front, suicide doors

After WW1, the focus turned back to wheeled transport, and with it, luxury. In 1919 the company introduced the H6, so named thanks to its straight-six engine with, naturally, overhead camshaft. The bodies for the H6 were built by the likes of Hibbard & Darrin or D’leteren. Though the really keen-eyed amongst you may be thinking that the car you’re looking at here, from 1927, has a body by neither, and you’d be right. Originally, this car was bodied by Hooper. But again, that’s not what you’re looking at because unbelievably, it was bodied a third time with what you can see here – namely a Park Ward body. But that body itself wasn’t meant for this car. Instead, it was initially fitted to a Bentley complete with six-and-a-half-litre engine. This car is a real ‘Heinz 57’, but in the most wonderful, fascinating way.

Hispano Suiza, Hispano Suiza H6B, H6B, coachbuilt car, Park Ward

The H6B with 135bhp was something of a ‘GTi’ version if you will. For the 1920s that was some serious pace, topping out at an impressive 85mph. There was a three-speed manual transmission with reverse, and also some very clever brake tech. The H6B featured drum brakes all round. However, they were cast from lightweight alloy and were servo-assisted, even more so when the vehicle was decelerating, during which time energy from the gearbox would be used to activate the brake servo. The technology was deemed to be so impressive that Rolls Royce acquired the licence for the patent so it could use it on its own cars.

Hispano Suiza, Hispano Suiza H6B, H6B, coachbuilt car, Park Ward

The car you’re looking at here was ordered by Lt-Cdr Montague Graham White, a name most befitting of such a car. You can’t really imagine it being owned by a Gary, or a Dave, can you? That’s not to say the Garys and Daves out there can’t own it, it is for sale after all.

The good Lt-Cdr White was a man who clearly lived his Hispano Suiza. According to the information within the advert, the car placed 1st position in many Concours D’ Elegance meetings, such as the 1927 Monte Carlo. Grand Prix plus Silver cup, Cannes. Grand Prix plus Plaquettes plus Perrier Jouet Cup, 1928 Bournemouth. Bainbridge Cup plus Grand Banner, Le Touquet. Grand Prix plus Finest car all classes and more. This is, rightly so, a celebrated car.

Hispano Suiza, Hispano Suiza H6B, H6B, coachbuilt car, Hispano Suiza engine

But what of the brand today? Where can one find Hispano Suiza in 2019? The brand still exists on paper, but its exploits can now be found under the Safran S. A, a French engine-building company within which Hispano Suiza now specialises on jet turbine technology.

There were murmurs of a return to automobiles in both 2010 and 2019, with the most recent outing for the brand being a 1,005hp electric hypercar by the name of Carmen. With bold 1930s styling, it certainly looked the part, but whether or not it reaches production fruition remains to be seen. For now, we’ll just have to gladly make do with cars like the H6B featured here. A car you can buy, in fact. All you need is £425,000. Bargain.

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