The name may not be familiar to many current car buyers, but Spanish manufacturer Hispano Suiza has been building cars for almost 120 years, albeit with some sizeable periods of inactivity. While Spanish manufacturer built more than 12,000 cars between 1904 and 1946, it has failed to register any since. But now, in an effort to prove that you really can teach old dogs new tricks, Hispano Suiza has moved into the electric car business with the introduction of the Carmen hypercar. 

First shown in 2019, the first production version of the Carmen has recently been delivered to a customer in the United States, a well-heeled car collector called Michael Fux (stop giggling at the back). Described by its maker as car designed for the ‘hyperlux’ sector, just 24 examples are destined for production. This includes five special Carmen Boulogne versions that come with more power and additional kit. 

The ‘standard’ Carmen model is equipped with an 80kWh battery arranged in a T-shape, along with four motors on the back axle that generates 1,005bhp. If that doesn’t sound enough for your daily commute, the Carmen Boulogne comes with a different motors that raise the power output to 1,099bhp. Unusually, two motors drive each wheel, with the outputs of both sides regulated and controlled by what Hispano Suiza calls a ‘virtual differential’. 

Hispano Suiza features a fully composite chassis and an 80kWh battery. You can also order it in purple.

The electrical system runs at 700 volts with the battery chemistry specifically tweaked to allow for high discharge rates. Surprisingly for such a tech-focused car, rapid charging tops out at just 80kW, meaning a 10-80% recharge will take around 45 minutes. 

In terms of design and construction, the Carmen is based on a fully composite chassis that is both light and strong. The suspension system is made from aircraft-grade aluminium to save weight and add strength. Despite its 800kg battery pack, the Carmen weighs 1,690kg - less than a Volkswagen ID.3.  

Hispano Suiza claims to offer 1,904 different combinations of personalisation to customers, meaning no two cars are alike. The brand will also allow you to select your colour from a limitless palette. The first customer car was painted in a colour called “Ocean Song Rose” – a purple tone inspired by new owner Mr Fux’s favourite flower. According to Hispano Suiza, Fux sent an example of the flower from Spain from Miami so the design team could exclusively reproduce the same hue. Try getting that level of service from Tesla.

If the Carmen sounds like the perfect electric car for your needs, ordering involves nothing more than rustling up the £1.68 million for the range-topping Boulogne model. If you prefer the extra value of the entry level model, that will set you back £1.57 million.

Just 24 examples of the Carmen will be made with prices starting from £1.57 million