Hispano Suiza has launched a second model, the Carmen Boulogne, a sportier evolution of their iconic Carmen electric car. The Carmen Boulogne is a fully-electric and exclusive hypercar designed, developed and manufactured in Barcelona, Spain. There will only be five of these high-end luxury cars made.
The Boulogne name dates back to 1921 when Hispano Suiza made a racing version of its high-performance H6 Coupé and entered it in the George Boillot Cup. Thus was an endurance race lasting more than 3.5 hours around the French city of Boulogne. There, Hispano Suiza achieved three consecutive victories with André Dubonnet (1921), Paul Bablot (1922) and Léonce Garnier (1923) driving the mighty Hispano Suiza H6.
The Hispano Suiza Carmen Boulogne pays tribute to these historic motorsport victories with this battery-powered version delivering 820 kW. This provides a top speed of 182mph (290kph) and it will accelerate from 0-62mph (0-100kph) in just 2.6 seconds. It weighs 1,630kg, which is 60kg less than the Carmen and features a carbon fibre subframe, new CNC parts and a carbon fibre roof.
The Carmen Boulogne is powered by four permanent-magnet synchronous engines, two on each rear wheel. The torque of each engine is controlled through sophisticated vectoring systems developed in-house with the expertise gained in Formula E.
The engines are capable of reaching a maximum of 1,600 Nm of torque, allowing for astonishing acceleration and seemingly endless power and traction. The lithium-ion polymer battery has a capacity of 80 kWh that provides a driving range of up to 250 miles (400km).
The batteries are designed and produced in-house, including a complete temperature control system to ensure that the cells can operate optimally. It has a fast-charging capacity of more than 80 kW DC, requiring only 30 minutes to charge up to 80 percent through a CCS2 fast charger. It also has CHAdeMO and GB/T charging options.
The body of the Carmen Boulogne is made from carbon fibre that is visible under a clear varnish that emphasises its sportiness and preserves the timeless elegance of this model. It sports the same semi-circular headlights and aggressive scowl-like looks as the Carmen, with the difference of an imposing copper-coloured grille.
The price of the Hispano Suiza Carmen Boulogne will start from £.1.5 million (€1.65 million/$2 million) plus local taxes. Each model is handmade with the utmost precision and requires approximately twelve months to manufacture.
