Miguel Sánchez
The Hispano-Suiza of 1923 Chassis number 5688 came to the forefront last year thanks to its offering at RM Sotheby's in the Terence E. Adderley Collection auction. Preserved in perfect condition, this light vehicle, assembled in Barcelona, has a well-established history, with registration with the Antique Automobile Club of America since 1968.
Also, taking into account that these Type 16 With a short chassis, very few units were manufactured. What we have before us is not only a historical automobile of great significance but also - possibly - the only unit preserved in the United States.
More than enough reasons for our protagonist to reach the 203.500$ at its auction last year, and now surprisingly - only a few months have passed - appearing for sale in the catalogue of the prestigious St. Louis, Missouri-based company Hyman Ltd.
Another example about the constant marketing relating to high-end classics, serving as a field of speculation and profit capable of feeding an increasingly prolific auction scene in which - however - the appearance of certain recurring units tends to be repeated in this passing from hand to hand.
HISPANO-SUIZA TYPE 16 ROADSTER, LIGHT AND STRONG
Talking about Hispano-Suiza is like talking about SEAT or other local businesses: you will always step on the toe of some self-proclaimed heir of knowledge who will make you aware of the zeal with which he guards his small parcel of recognition.
On the other hand, the opacity of private and corporate files surrounding these companies does not make things easy when it comes to finding exact data, which is even more severe in the case of Hispano-Suiza, as it has much less information. documentation than that relating to brands and models closer in time.
That said, when writing about the Hispano-Suiza with chassis 5688 we believe it prudent to limit our trust to the information provided by RM Sotheby's and Hyman Ltd while also consulting the interesting doctoral thesis of Carlos Polo Prieto The Hispano-Suiza, 1904-1919, which helps us understand certain aspects related to Type 16.
At this point, the first question to consider about this model is how it fits into Barcelona's production, being a "model"access” compared to the most powerful and resounding designs assembled in the brand's facilities at the outskirts of paris.
However, at the dawn of the twenties sales of the Type 16 were not at their best due - among other things - to the poor performance of the carburettors, a problem only solved belatedly around 1917 thanks to the installation of some Zenith created specifically for the engine of this model.
COMPETITION, AN ADVERTISING WAY
Being a relatively light and manageable vehicle for the standards of the time, the Hispano-Suiza Type 16 proved to be a good basis for the preparation of sports units with which to compete in some of the increasingly popular uphill tests on winding mountain roads.
At this point, the management of La Hispano-Suiza considered it appropriate to register a modified Type 16 on the climb to the rabassada, which was a success thanks to the obvious advertising echo generated by the unit finished in polished aluminum and the short chassis presented there. A real boost for the Type 16 range, already worn out by a presence of almost seven years—with hardly any changes—on the Spanish market.
In this context, the La Sagrera factory itself launched a small series of Type 16 units based on shortened frames on which the same engine was installed. 3 liters and around 60 HP already seen in the rest of the veteran saga.
In short, few modifications but enough to make those Hispano-Suizas a rarity for collectors capable of continuing to seduce more than a century laterWe'll see what happens with this unit's history. Who knows, maybe someone will be encouraged to bring it back to Spain.
Images: Hyman
