HISPANO-SWITZERLAND ALFONZO – year 1912

Manufacturer: Hispano-Swiss S. A., Barcelona, Spain.

At the beginning of World War I, the main production of the Spanish car factory Hispano-Suiza shifted to a new plant in Bois-Colombes near Paris. This plant was known for the production of excellent aircraft engines, forked, 8-cylindrical, used in American and English fighter planes, and most of all French. The French factory took over almost all production of the successful Hispano-Suiza Alfonzo car model.

The first models were constructed by Alfonzo in 1910 r. a company founder, young Swiss engineer Mark Birkigt. He used such design solutions, which a few years later became widely used, like for example. T-shaped cylinder head, aluminum block with inserted cylinders and others.

Model Alfonzoz 1912 r. had inline, water-cooled 4-cylinder engine 3622 cm3. The extraordinary flexibility of the engine is achieved thanks to the very long stroke of the piston - 200 mm compared to 75 mm in cylinder diameter. Maximum engine power, 47,8 kW (65 KM) by 2300 RPM, it transferred a 3-speed Hotchkiss gearbox via a propeller shaft to a rigid rear axle. The classic longitudinal frame was sprung at the front with semi-ellipticals, and at the rear, three quarter-elliptical longitudinal leaf springs. The mechanical brakes only acted on the rear wheels. Spoke Rudge wheels & Whitworth were mounted on the central hub. The car achieved remarkable, for those times, speed 120 km/h. The Hispano-Suiza company was actively involved in car racing. King Alfonso XIII, who reigned at that time, was a motoring enthusiast and a great competitor. W 1912 r. he took part in the car race from San Sebastian to Madrid on this model and set the route record on it. Since then, the model bore his name and was the most famous sports car of this brand.

In addition to the Bois-Colombes plant, cars were also produced at the Spanish plant in Barcelona, from which this exclusive sports type was released to 1920 r.