Limited serie of 170 pieces only

Hispano-Suiza K6 Cabriolet by Brandone — 1935

Hispano-Suiza K6 — Mediterranean elegance by Brandone

Introduced in 1934, the K6 represented a new generation of large six-cylinder Hispano-Suizas. More compact than the imposing V12-powered J12, it nevertheless retained the refinement and build quality for which the marque was renowned.

Its 5.2-litre engine produced approximately 120 hp and was mounted in a particularly well-balanced chassis. As was customary with Hispano-Suiza, the chassis were supplied to leading coachbuilders, allowing each customer to commission a truly individual automobile.

Chassis 16035 was delivered by Hispano-Suiza on 4 May 1935 and entrusted to Étienne Brandone, a coachbuilder based in Cannes.

Compared with the great Parisian houses, Brandone was a discreet craftsman. His work was nevertheless highly regarded on the Côte d'Azur, where his creations benefited from an ideal setting: wealthy clients, the roads of the Riviera and a busy calendar of concours d'elegance.

For 16035, Brandone created a two-seat cabriolet with particularly harmonious proportions. The long beltline gently descends towards the rear, while the sculpted fenders and numerous chrome details give the car a sense of movement.

The Hispano-Suiza grille dominates the front, framed by large headlamps mounted between the fenders. At the rear, the luggage compartment and tail flow together into a continuous shape, while the famous stork emblem recalls the marque's aeronautical origins.

Delivered new to Mr Copley-May of Nice, the car was registered in the Alpes-Maritimes on 29 June 1935.

It quickly achieved recognition. On 27 March 1936, it was presented at the Cannes Concours d'Elegance in an elegant light-blue and dark-blue colour scheme. It won the Grand Prix d'Honneur as well as the award for the most beautiful French automobile.

The specialist press of the period particularly praised Brandone's coachwork and its elegant proportions.

The following year, the K6 returned to the Cannes concours, this time finished in a much darker colour. It subsequently passed through several French owners before eventually reaching the United States.

Over the years, however, the car lost part of its historical identity. Its coachwork was variously attributed to several major French names, including Saoutchik, Figoni & Falaschi, Letourneur & Marchand and Kellner.

It was not until the beginning of the twenty-first century that historian André Vaucourt undertook a detailed investigation. He discovered original Brandone drawings corresponding to the body, together with a period photograph showing the completed car in front of the Hispano-Suiza offices in Bois-Colombes.

The true identity of both the car and its coachbuilder could finally be established.

Following a restoration faithful to its original configuration, the K6 returned to the international concours circuit. It was notably shown at Pebble Beach, where it won its class and the prestigious Alec Ulmann Trophy on two occasions.

The Chromes 1:43 scale model

The Chro47 model reproduces chassis 16035 and its exceptional Cabriolet coachwork by Étienne Brandone, created in 1935.

Particular attention has been paid to its flowing silhouette, sculpted fenders, numerous chrome details and the characteristic proportions of this Côte d'Azur creation.

Through this model, Chromes pays tribute to an automobile that combines the prestige of Hispano-Suiza, the elegance of the Riviera and the discreet talent of a coachbuilder whose name was long overshadowed by those of the great Parisian houses.