1934 Hispano Suiza J12 Coupe de Ville

This unique Hispano-Suiza Coupe de Ville was one of a pair of automobiles built for Anthony Gustav de Rothschild, a member of the Rothschild banking family in England. Designed for less formal occasions when driven by its owner, the teardrop-shaped rear of the car is nonetheless almost completely enclosed for passenger privacy. The powerful V12-engined J12 was one of the most expensive prewar chassis and the coachwork by Fernandez et Darrin was also finished with an absolute disregard for cost. Beauty, utility, and safety were the prime considerations.

Both one-offs were to be chauffeur driven and were built with no expense spared. The J12 chassis is powered by a 9.4-liter engine developing 220 horsepower and has a top speed of 100 mph. The other example is chassis number 15008 which is built on the K6 long chassis and is powered by a 5.2-liter 6-cylinder engine developing 120 horsepower. It has a 146.5-inch wheelbase and is capable of 88 mph. The two cars have identical color finishes and complementary design styles.