The all-new Hispano Suiza Carmen makes its global debut at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, signalling the resurgence of an iconic Spanish luxury car brand.
Designed, developed and manufactured in Barcelona, the fully-electric Carmen is a ‘hyperlux’ grand touring car – the ultimate expression of classically-inspired design, cutting edge chassis and powertrain technology, exhilarating power and expertly-engineered dynamics.
The production car world premiere is the realisation of a lifelong ambition for the Suqué Mateu family and, in particular, for Miguel Suqué Mateu, current President of Hispano Suiza and great-grandson of the brand’s founder. The Carmen is inspired by the unique style and elegance of Mr Suqué Mateu’s mother, Carmen Mateu (1936-2018).
The all-new production model has been created from the ground-up to deliver an exceptional and luxurious driving experience. Combining an advanced, fully-electric 750 kW (1,019 PS) powertrain with a bespoke super-stiff carbon fibre monocoque, double-wishbone front and rear suspension and torque vectoring, Carmen delivers exceptional dynamics, with a focus on thrilling performance and an easy-to-drive character. With such prodigious power, and a kerb weight of just 1,690 kg, the Carmen has world-class performance capabilities: 100 km/h is reached in under three seconds, and top speed is electronically-limited to 250 km/h.
The battery pack – made up of 700 cells – was designed and produced entirely in-house, including a complete temperature control system to ensure the cells can operate optimally. The battery monitoring system ensures stable charge and discharge performance and delivers the safety strategies required for a 750V DC architecture.
The Carmen is compatible with the 80 kW CCS2 fast charging protocol, as well as CHAdeMO and GB/T charging options.
The battery and electric powertrain components are liquid-cooled via three front radiators: one under the hood at the front of the car for battery cooling, and one each side, inboard of the front wheel arches, for cooling powertrain components. The three front air intakes provide airflow to help cool the electric drivetrain system and battery.
The Hispano Suiza Carmen will cost from €1.5m (plus taxes), and only 19 examples of the Carmen will be produced from late 2019 until 2021. Road testing begins in mid-2019, with the first media drives in October. Prospective customers can now register their interest to purchase one of the exclusive Carmen models, ahead of its official customer launch date in June 2020.
