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1931 Hispano Suiza J12

Transformable Grande Luxe by Saoutchik

The J12, produced between 1931 and 1938, was the largest and most expensive automobile ever built by Hispano-Suiza. This is the first of these ultra-luxurious 9.4-liter, 12-cylinder cars to be completed. The factory sent the chassis to Saoutchik, who built this Transformable Grand Luxe coachwork for the 1931 Paris Auto Salon, then showed it at the Olympia Motor Show in London. The first owner was the Shah of Persia, who used it as a royal parade car. The J12 remained in the royal garage until 1963 when it went to American collector Robert D. Ortenburger. In 1979 it was sold to Roy Southward of Wellington, New Zealand. The current owners purchased the car in 2011. It has since been restored and driven on several tours covering nearly 20,000 miles.

The French automaker Hispano-Suiza was among the elite in luxury car production and the leaders of style, innovation, and design. The reputation was solidified in history with the legendary H6 series including the H6B and H6C. Their destiny in history as one of the greatest producers of automobiles during the 1930s was secured with the introduction of the J-12 Type 68 in 1931. That was the same year that Hispano-Suiza united Swiss design, French production facilities, and the Spanish capital.

The J12 was created for the discriminating buyer and priced well above what most could afford. The J12 was offered only as a rolling chassis, with a choice of four wheelbase sizes. The large 'square' V12 engine (a long-stroke engine was optional) was an engine masterpiece, offering superb performance for its weight. The coachwork was left to the customer's discretion and most examples carried very luxurious and elegant accommodations.

The engine used in the H6C had been modified throughout the years, but by now, a replacement was needed. The displacement had been increased to the point where more cylinders were required. The company was familiar with V12 engines, as they had designed a V12 unit for use in an aircraft as early as 1918. The engine was used during the First World War but then put aside when peacetime resumed. From 1919 through 1923, the company exported a few V8 aircraft engines. They produced a 60-degree V12 type 12jb beginning in 1924. It was rated at around 400 horsepower. It was enlarged in 1926, becoming the 12Hb, and offering over 500 horsepower. It was improved even further in 1928, becoming the 12Nb and outputting 720 horsepower.

Development began on a V12 automobile engine near the close of the 1920s with the production version being introduced at the 1931 Paris Motorshow. The 575 cubic-inch V12 overhead valve engine offered 220 horsepower which was adequate to carry the vehicles which often weighed between 5000 - 6500 pounds. Production lasted from 1931 through 1938 with around 120 examples produced.

Wheelbase sizes included 135, 146, 150, and 158 inches.

by Dan Vaughan