1005bhp Hispano Suiza Carmen heads to Goodwood Festival of Speed

Hispano Suiza’s heyday was already over before the golden age of motoring began in the 1930s. The name made a brief reappearance in the early 2000s, but it took until 2019's Geneva motor show for an all-new production model to appear. That car, the Hispano Suiza Carmen, will now finally make a public appearance at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Named after the granddaughter of the reborn company’s founder, the model is described as a “hyperlux” grand tourer, using a carbonfibre structure and high-performance 750kW (1005bhp) electric powertrain. Despite the use of a heavy battery pack weight is quoted at 1690kg, respectable for such a high performance EV.

> Goodwood Festival of Speed 2022 preview

Though it's unlikely to break any records, Hispano Suiza is sending the Carmen up the famous hillclimb with former Formula 1 driver Luis Pérez-Sala at the wheel.

In 2020, before the first Carmen had hit the road, the Carmen Boulogne was launched as an evolution of the original, with exposed carbonfibre panels, copper-coloured detailing and retro-style wheels. Widespread use of carbonfibre cut weight by 60kg, down to a not-unreasonable (for an electric car, at least) 1630kg, while the double-wishbone front and rear suspension was revised for tighter handling.

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The ease of extracting more power from an electric drivetrain means output has climbed by a significant 94bhp to 1099bhp, adding 25mph to the top speed (now 180mph) and cutting the 0-60mph time to 2.6 seconds. The car was built in conjunction with QEV technologies - perhaps not a big name in the wider automotive world, but a firm engaged with WRC, WTCC and Formula E, alongside more experimental projects.

With a price of €1.65m plus taxes, it’s par for the course on price alongside the ever growing crop of hypercar EVs, though only five Carmen Boulogne models were set to be produced, joining the 14-car tally of the regular Carmen.