Hispano-Suiza starts revival with Carmen electric supercar

Big, pre-war cars are the things for which Hispano-Suiza is best known. Founded in 1904, the Spanish marque has been defunct since 1968, but that’s all set to change as the brand is being revived with the launch of a new electric supercar in March at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show.

Based in Barcelona, Spain, the new Hispano-Suiza is moving forward with its revival plans and the original family is still very much involved. Miguel Suque Mateu is the great grandson of the company’s founder, Damián Mateu. His vision is to realize a dream of his great grandfather, and that is to bring electric cars to the market.

Apparently, Hispano-Suiza actually produced one of the world’s first electric cars back in 1900, but it was just a prototype that was never brought to market. Mateu plans to change that with Hispano-Suiza’s first new car since 1937, a supercar to be called the Carmen. The name was borrowed from the granddaughter of the founder, who is also the mother of Hispano-Suiza’s current head.

All we know about the car is that it will feature a carbon fiber monocoque structure to help keep it stiff and light. Helping with the development is QEV Technologies, a company that develops electric powertrain technology and is linked with the Mahindra Formula E race team. Production is slated to take place at a facility in Barcelona.

We’re still a month out from the Carmen’s Geneva debut, and we’ve only got a handful of teaser images on which to pull thoughts, but that shadowy shape shows some classic lines. The rear fender is reminiscent of 1920s-era Art Deco cars. Big, almost cartoonish fenders present a bold stance, and that interior image suggests a digital instrument cluster will be present for a modern touch.

But it’s truly hard to tell what’s happening with the rest of the car in the images. Regardless, we’re eager to learn more. Hopefully Hispano-Suiza rolls out more teasers as we inch closer to the time of the full reveal.

Source: Motor Authority