Only 19 cars will be able to drive the fully electric grand tourer.
Didn’t Hispano Suiza just launch the Maguari GTC? But the Lamborghini-powered supercar is made by Hispano Suiza Automobilmanufaktur AG, while the Carmen being teased here is being created by Hispano Suiza Cars. Grup Peralada, a Spanish conglomerate, is responsible for it. Confused? We are too. The plot twist is that they will both attend the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, which begins next Wednesday, March 5.
According to the people behind this project, the car teased here is a “next generation electric hyperlux grand tourer”. The car’s 195-kilogram (430-pounds) carbon fiber monocoque has been seen before. This teaser image shows an aerial view with bulging fenders.
Although we will have to wait for the full Carmen to be revealed, at least we now know all the technical details. The GT’s heart is made up of two electric motors. One for each 20-inch rear tire, giving it a combined output of 1,005 horsepower. This is enough power to allow for some serious performance. The vehicle can sprint from a standing stop to 62 mph (101.5 kph), in less than three seconds, before reaching a top speed electronically controlled at 155mph (250 km/h).
Two-seat, two-door grand tourer weighs in at 1,690 kg (3.726 lbs). It uses a large lithium polymer battery pack that has a 80-kWh capacity. Hispano Suiza Cars explains that the carbon fiber battery housing was designed in a way that allows for the possibility to upgrade the battery pack. According to the company, it will be possible to fit a larger 105-kWh lithium battery into the vehicle by next year. This will increase the range of charges from the base pack’s 400+ kilometers (or 249+ miles) battery. Keep in mind that the NEDC is too optimistic so the range will likely be lower in the more realistic WLTP.
The retro-flavored body was inspired by the 1938 Hispano Suiza C Dubonnet Xenia. It has a drag coefficient (0.325) and was created and tested using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and virtual wind tunnel simulation software.
The Hispano Suiza Carmen’s Geneva Motor Show debut will see it begin road testing in the middle of next year. Customers will have access to the Hispano Suiza Carmen in June 2020. Each example will only be made 19 times, with a price tag of EUR1.5M (plus taxes) which is approximately $1.7M in current exchange rates.