1937 Hispano Suiza K6

Vanvooren was responsible for creating coachwork for 98 of the 204 Hispano-Suiza K6 models built between 1934 and 1937. Power was from a six-cylinder engine displacing 5,200cc and offering 120 horsepower. It was backed by a three-speed manual transmission and had a top speed of around 87 mph.

This Spanish automotive–engineering company has roots that date to 1898 when La Cuadra was formed by Emilio de la Cuadra. He hired Swiss engineer Marc Birkigt and under his direction, two types of La Cuadra gasoline-powered engine cars were built. Ownership of the company changed hands to José María Castro Fernández in 1902 and became Fábrica Hispano-Suiza de Automóviles. This endeavor was short-lived as it went bankrupt in December of 1903. This was followed by a restructuring, creating La Hispano-Suiza Fábrica de Automóviles, under Castro's direction, also based in Barcelona. The company managed to survive until 1946, in Barcelona and produced cars, buses, trucks, aero engines, and weapons during that time.

The company introduced the Hispano-Suiza H6 model in 1919 with an inline 6-cylinder overhead camshaft engine based on its aluminum V8 World War I aircraft engines. During the 1920s and 1930s, the Hispano-Suiza Company built a series of luxury cars powered by overhead camshaft engines. During the 1930s, the V-12 powered cars used pushrod valve action in efforts to reduce engine noise.

Hispano-Suiza introduced its K6 model in 1934 at the Paris Auto Salon. It was offered as a rolling chassis powered by a five-liter straight-six engine, derived from an earlier Ballot engine design, and formed from lightweight alloys and high-strength steels. Its design was by Rodolphe Herrmann, who worked with Marc Birkigt on the design time. The chassis was a clone of the larger Hispano-Suiza J12, offered a lower price, and powered by half the number of cylinders. It had a four-wheel braking system that utilized a driveshaft-mounted servo mechanism to multiply the mechanical pressure applied to the brake pedal. Semi-elliptic leaf springs supported both the front and rear axles.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2020