Francisco Carrion
We can be proud to have in our country with one of the most complete Rolls Royce collections in the world. As many of you already know, 30 kilometers from Bilbao is the Castle Tower of Loizaga Museum, Miguel de la Vía's cars are exhibited in the immediate vicinity, the vast majority of which are Rolls of all models and periods, to the point that practically none are missing.
Out of all this magnificent cast of "spirits of ecstasy" we have chosen their greatest competitor. And it is something that I cannot hide, I have a weakness for the Hispano-Suiza; I recognize that the English brand has its merit, but where a Hispanic is ...
It will be because of that thing that the French call "chauvinism" and that in Spain we use so little that we do not even have an expression to define it, but the simple fact that in a country as underdeveloped as ours was at the beginning of the XNUMXth century we were able to Creating luxury cars that surpassed everything known is worthy of admiration.
At present there are not too many Spanish fans who admire the Hispano-Suiza, especially among the new generations, and it is in France where this Spanish brand is most praised, that is why they have it as a brand there " national".
Cast? We are not going to enter into new sterile debates about whether La Hispano-Suiza was from here or there, but the truth is that the parent company was the La Sagrera factory in Barcelona and that practically all models were conceived and tested as prototypes in Spain before being manufactured even in France.
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The K6 in Spain
The model in question, popularly known as K6, is one of those considered “totally French”. However, as happened with all the La Hispano-Suiza models - perhaps with the exception of the T68 or J12 presented in 1931 - the K6 was first manufactured in Barcelona in a short series of prototypes before starting its definitive production in the Parisian factory of Bois Colombes.
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Of this series of Barcelona prototypes, at least three surviving specimens are known that are easily distinguishable by a very simple detail: On the beautiful identification plate of the firebreak they appear marked as "type T70" instead of "Type K6", which is how those manufactured in France were inscribed.
Apart from this, the numbering of these prototypes corresponds to the one that was followed in the Barcelona factory, which was already above the number 17.000, while the French series K6s carried the numbering corresponding to the 15.000 series, with a long chassis. , and 16.000, short chassis.
Thus, the first unit sold in Paris on August 16, 1934 was numbered 15.002, as it was the second of those manufactured there.
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Apart from these evidences there is the numerous documentation in the form of original minutes of the board of directors of La Hispano-Suiza de Barcelona provided in previous works on the K6 model by the specialist Emilio Polo, in which reference is made to the initial intention to manufacture this model exclusively in Spain.
And it is that the French factory increasingly obtained more benefits with the production of aeronautical engines, to the point that in the early 30s it was planned to build a single car model there, the extraordinary J12, while the rest of the production would take place in Spain.
In addition, the company's management plans were to completely replace and modernize the H range, which had started back in 1919 with the fabulous H6.
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In the dynamic aspect the HS also positively surprise
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At the time, this car was a real revolution - among many other things, it was the one that debuted the brake booster worldwide - and was the model to be followed, many times imitated, by luxury car manufacturers around the world.
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Reign threatened
However, after more than 10 years as a benchmark among high-end cars, competitors began to emerge: the American Duesenberg Js, the French Delage D8s, the Italian Isotta Fraschinni 8Bs… Overall, Hispano-Suiza saw their reign in jeopardy and set out to modernize their entire range, which was derived from the old H6.
Several models were manufactured in Spain at the beginning of the 30s: the 48-cylinder T4, the 49-cylinder T6, the “Junior” also with 6 cylinders and a similar size but with a larger displacement, and finally the luxurious 56-cylinder T-8. liters, last evolution of the 6 H1919 model.
All these had common characteristics such as the light alloy engine, overhead camshaft attacking directly the valves and double ignition by means of two independent delco teams.
These characteristics, together with the balance of their chassis, made them exclusive and very advanced cars, but by 1932 the company's minutes reflected the intention of replacing almost the entire catalog for the new T60 -the only model from La Hispano Suiza that was not designed by engineer Marc Birkigt but by Juan Burdin-, the T70 (K6) and only continue with the 56-liter T8 as the top of the range.
It is clearly strange that with the deteriorating social and political situation that Spain was going through at the beginning of the 30s, a whole new range based on luxurious 6-cylinder cars was planned, eliminating the small 48-cylinder T4 and the next model, the T49 .
Finally the business logic prevailed and in our country the T48, T49, “Junior” and T56 models continued to be manufactured until the Civil War along with the new T60 of American lines, while the production of the new T70 (K6) deviated to the French factory.
Pretty traditional
As we said before, the Hispano-Suiza of the H range presented in 1919 had been pioneers in several aspects, and Marc Birkigt put all the cutting-edge technology that he had tested in aviation engines on them.
However at the beginning of the 30s the Swiss engineer did not use any avant-garde concept in his new creations, Rather, it made use of elements that were already well-known and proven.
Thus, the new K6 presented in 1934 had a chassis that was essentially the same as that of its predecessors in the H range, with both axles rigid.
The biggest change occurred in the engine section, which inherited the technique of the 12-cylinder J12 in V presented in 1931 but with half the number of cylinders. The most notable difference was in the removable stock on the K6, while the J12 had the blind blocks.
In reality, the K6 engine was an almost identical version but somewhat reduced in size from the one mounted on the 69-cylinder T6 trucks that were manufactured in Spain.
Its OHV overhead valve technique with rocker arms was much more traditional than its predecessors in the H-range, although it sought more smooth operation as well as proven reliability.
The performance of these veteran cars is still quite respectable today
The performance achieved by the mechanics of the K6 are very similar to those of the previous and larger H6Bs, although the sound is more subdued - the H6s have always been characterized by a rather "hoarse" or sporty sound for being large cars. luxury- and the overall operation somewhat smoother.
Also, according to experts, the K6 have somewhat less repris than the H6, but we have not been able to verify this in direct.
What is undoubted is that the 140 hp at 3.200 Rpm. that the engine yields are more than respectable figures for its time, and they could launch these over one ton cars at about 140 km / h with ease.
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Technological conservatism
The traditional solutions used in the chassis are also surprising, where no innovation was provided, and that already in 1933-34 many manufacturers, including those of low-mid-range cars, were introducing great improvements in this section.
Suffice it to quote that the famous Citroën Traction was presented at the same Paris Motor Show as the Hispano-Suiza K6 (28th Edition, from October 4 to 14, 1934) and already used front-wheel drive, self-supporting chassis and independent suspensions on both axles.
It is curious to note that in that show only two of the French luxury brands of the moment, Delage and Talbot, exhibited cars with independent suspensions on the front axle, while all the others, such as Avions Voisin, Bugatti, Panhard-Levassor or their own Hispano-Suiza, continued to present their models with both rigid axles and chaired by large vertical radiators that obviated any aerodynamic pretension.
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During the period that the K6 was in production (1934-1937) several luxury brands updated their chassis towards somewhat more modernized concepts, while others such as Bugatti stubbornly continued with already outdated concepts.
The Hispano-Suiza also continued in this line of rigid axle chassis and vertical radiator until its last days, and nevertheless they managed to sell 120 units of the J12 and 206 of the K6, figures that may seem low but compared to their high price and production. handcrafted are considerable.
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A coupe?
Our protagonist belongs to the latest K6 series made in Paris, distinguishable mainly by its square Jaeger instrument panel. The first series mounted an oval frame with round OS brand instruments very similar to that of the “Junior” model.
The bodywork signed by the Parisian workshop VanVooren, with its smooth and elongated lines, also gives an idea of belonging to the second half of the 30s, when aerodynamics already influenced the design.
Square indicators are characteristic of intermediate and final series
As a curiosity, it should be noted that one of the first K6s produced - perhaps one of the prototypes - was the personal car of Miguel Mateu, son of the president of Hispano-Suiza Damián Mateu.
That K6 we are referring to has been owned by the Mateu family since its debut and still bears its original Barcelona license plate, and as a coincidence it was also bodied by Van Vooren and painted in black and white.
Perhaps due to its similarity to that Barcelona car, the K6 that we have been able to photograph has recently been painted in these same cream-black tones, because until a few years ago it wore a light blue tone that was not at all flattering.
Apart from that, we know little about the history of this car that now, in perfect aesthetic and mechanical condition, sleeps in the car. Torre de Loizaga Museum.
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Vanvooren, bodybuilder
Like all high-end Hispano-Suiza, this unit left the factory as a bare chassis way back in 1936 or 37, and was commissioned by VanVooren, whose workshops were located just a few hundred meters away from the factory of the brand.
This proximity had caused VanVooren to coach a large number of Hispano-Suiza of all models since the 20s.
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The bodywork company, founded in 1910 by Achille VanVooren, achieved its greatest success and recognition during the 1930s, when under the leadership of Marius Daste dressed in large numbers the most prestigious chassis of its time, as were the Delage, Rolls-Royce or Bugatti.
The closeness between the two companies was such that M. Daste was hired in 1932 as production manager of the Hispano-Suiza factory, which logically increased collaboration even more.
VanVooren was always characterized by its quality of construction and a beauty of lines that could be considered elegant but without excesses. The designs were adapted to their time, but they were never transgressive or flashy like some of their competitors.
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This style was perfectly suited to what the Hispano-Suiza brand represented, and not in vain a most of the K6 models received VanVooren bodies -Probably about half of the total production.
This is why, despite the fact that these bodies were made one by one by hand and to order, it is not difficult to see some K6s that are very similar to each other.
Without going any further, our protagonist has a “quasi-twin brother” at the Laganland Automobile Museum, in Sweden; the design is exactly the same, but this one has a long chassis and has the spare wheels on the sides, while this is a short chassis and has the spare wheel at the rear.
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Another curious fact is that, despite the difference in size, both units have four doors. And yes, you have read that correctly, our protagonist also has four doors.
The one in the Swedish museum has them well defined and with their corresponding opening hands, but as you can see in the photos, the example we tested looks like a coupe from every angle. Generously sized, yes, but a coupe.
Indeed, when we proceed to open the doors -all four-, we observe that the bodywork has an ingenious arrangement of opposite doors without a central pillar and without external opening mechanisms in the rear.
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Does it sound like something? Yes, it is exactly the same principle applied in the recent Mazda RX8 presented in 2003.
Almost 80 years separate them and the Japanese model was presented in its day as an innovation, and yet the bodybuilder VaVooren was already a specialist in this of making sedans that looked like coupes back in the second decade of the interwar period. As you can see, everything - or almost everything - is already invented in the automotive world.
Photograph by Unai Ona
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