David Scott-Moncrieff, London, UK (acquired from the above circa mid-1950s)
M. Gérard “Jabby” Crombac, Paris, France (acquired from the above circa 1960)
Charles Howard, London, UK (acquired from the above circa 1972)
Michel Seydoux, Paris, France (acquired from the above circa 1973)
Knox Kershaw, Montgomery, Alabama (acquired from the above in 1985)
Current Owner (acquired from the above in 2010)
Coachwork by Saoutchik
Chassis: 14018
Salesroom Addendum
This vehicle has received a special invitation by the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® to be displayed on the lawn this Sunday, providing its next owner an exciting opportunity to participate in the event. This will not preclude it from future invitations in the coming decade and the car will be eligible to win one of the special trophies awarded each year.
The Magnificent J12 Chassis Perfectly Paired with Elegant Saoutchik Cabriolet Coachwork
One of Approximately 10 J12s Retaining Original Open Coachwork
Upgraded to Desirable 11.3-Liter Type 68 BIS Specifications During Restoration
Poster Car for the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®
2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® Alec Ulmann Trophy Winner
Among the Most Rakish, Sporting, and Outright Stunning of All Hispano-Suizas
11,310 CC OHV 60° V-12 Engine
Twin Solex Downdraft Carburetors
Estimated 250 BHP at 3,400 RPM
3-Speed Synchromesh Manual Gearbox
4-Wheel Servo-Assisted Mechanical Drum Brakes
Front Solid Axle with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs
Rear Live Axle with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs
Hispano-Suiza’s legacy is punctuated by numerous automotive achievements. The 1911 Alfonso XIII is considered by many to be one of the first sports cars. The H6 range of models, first introduced in 1919, employed such advanced engineering and impeccable build quality that it remained in production into the early 1930s. But the French firm’s crowning achievement came in 1931 with the introduction of the J12, an automobile whose chassis offered unmatched power, performance, and ease of operation. Complementing that mechanical brilliance was coachwork produced by the finest coachbuilders. The example offered here is fitted with its original one-off Saoutchik cabriolet coachwork, representing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the discriminating connoisseur.
Swiss engineer Marc Birkigt designed an engine without peer, featuring twin banks of six cylinders angled at the optimal 60°. The standard 9.4-liter displacement dwarfed that of its multi-cylinder rivals and its 220 hp propelled the car and its passengers swiftly and without drama, with one author remarking that the J12 “delivered its performance with a trace of arrogance.” Writing in the book The V12 Engine, automotive historian Karl Ludvigsen concurred, summarizing that “Throughout the Hispano-Suiza twelve, its design and execution bordered on the exquisite.”
Factory records on file for chassis 14018 list a delivery date of December 30, 1936, with coachwork specified by Saoutchik. Jacques Saoutchik is best known for flamboyant designs often accessorized with ornate trim. In contrast, this masterfully penned Cabriolet demonstrates a great degree of restraint on the part of the designer, while incorporating a lengthy hood, sweeping clamshell front fenders, a low and aggressively raked windscreen, and an abbreviated rear deck perfectly positioned on the 146" wheelbase chassis. This car made its debut at the 1936 Paris salon and a period Hispano-Suiza catalogue illustrates this Saoutchik design described as a five-passenger convertible.
Correspondence on file with Hispano-Suiza authority Jules Heumann corroborates production records noting the car was delivered through UK agent J. Smith & Company Ltd. of London to Captain Johnson. By the 1950s, the car had passed to its second owner, British author and automotive enthusiast David Scott-Moncrieff, who lived west of London. While fiction comprised the bulk of his literary work, he occasionally penned nonfiction books covering automobiles, particularly the grand cars of the 1930s and 1940s in which he recounted the incredible performance of his J12. Around 1960, the car was acquired by M. Gérard “Jabby” Crombac, editor of the French magazine Sport-Auto. M. Crombac owned two other Hispano-Suizas, an H6B and another J12. The Saoutchik Cabriolet was acquired by UK dealer Charles Howard around 1972, and shortly thereafter, it was sold to French film producer and auto enthusiast Michel Seydoux.
M. Seydoux hired former Hispano-Suiza factory mechanic Louis Rossigneux to restore its mechanical components, with bodywork entrusted to the French restorer Carrosserie Lecoq and its interior finished by Lalemend. The restoration was completed in 1975 and the car made an appearance in the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker, transporting Roger Moore through the gardens of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. The following year, M. Seydoux drove the car in a rally in Normandy, France.
Noted automobile collector Knox Kershaw of Montgomery, Alabama, acquired the car in 1985 where it was kept in good company among a number of historically significant automobiles, including the Duesenberg “Mormon Meteor.” Extensive mechanical work was carried out by Rick Hamlin, including rebuilds of the engine, gearbox, steering and brake components. Upon completion, the J12 was ready to be enjoyed on the road and it completed a number of tours in Europe and the States including the Hispano-Suiza Rally in Spain in 1989, CCCA CARavans in 1988 and 1990, and the Colorado Grand in 1992.
The car was acquired by its current owner in 2010, and an extensive two-year restoration was immediately commissioned. California-based specialists participating in this exacting endeavor included the renowned Phil Reilly & Company addressing the engine, chassis, and mechanical components. Notably, the restoration of the J12’s engine included the installation of an extremely rare, long-stroke crankshaft which increased the displacement to an astounding 11.3 liters, with an estimated 250 hp – an option believed to have been fitted to just two J12s in period. Rounding out the restoration, Brian Hoyt’s Perfect Reflections completed the paint and body, and the acclaimed Ken Nemanic was charged with all upholstery work, in one of his final projects before retirement.
The J12 made its post-restoration debut at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® as part of a featured class celebrating Saoutchik coachwork. It was selected as the poster car that year, beautifully portrayed by artist Jay Koka who positioned it in front of The Lodge at Pebble Beach.
It garnered a Second in Class award and was also recognized with the Alec Ulmann Trophy as the most significant Hispano-Suiza. In 2014, it was displayed at the inaugural Chantilly Arts & Elegance Concours staged at Château de Chantilly and Le Nôtre Gardens north of Paris.
In its current presentation, the car exudes an air of authoritative, reserved elegance, and close inspection reveals a subtle color contrast. The coachwork is finished in a deep shade of black cherry, virtually indistinguishable from its gleaming black fenders. That subtle difference in tone perfectly accentuates the graceful flow of the front fender, which terminates just aft of the door, ahead of the rear fender– a correction made during restoration based on careful examination of images of the original design. The black top complements the fenders with the use of chrome kept to a minimum – applied sparingly to functional components such as the grille, headlamps, door, and trunk hardware. All styling elements work in unison, resulting in a cohesive design that is recognized as one of Saoutchik’s most elegant works. The interior is finished in brown, pleated leather with matching carpet, and the driver faces a walnut dashboard housing seven round dials, which monitor all engine functions. The wood trim extends along the door caps and continues to the rear passenger compartment where the rear quarter windows provide passengers with outward visibility while still retaining a measure of privacy.
An estimated 114 of the J12 models were built and about half are believed extant. Open coachwork among these survivors is much more scarce, with an estimated 10 still equipped with original bodies. Of these, almost none have the grace, style, and undeniable beauty of this Saoutchik masterpiece. This truly stunning Hispano-Suiza showcases the engineering brilliance of Marc Birkigt’s magnum opus J12 chassis, finished to world-class standards. Welcome at any concours, it is certain to be revered for all the qualities Hispano-Suiza advertising promised: “Speed, Security, Comfort, Silence and Elegance,” – a combination not likely to be offered again.
*Please note that this vehicle is titled 1935.
