Hispano Suiza joins the "Istituto di Design" in Turin to reinterpret the Alfonso XIII

The collaboration between major brands and design institutes is not particularly common, but it is not rare either. The experience of vehicle designers tends to motivate students to move forward, which is why collaboration between the two is very important. The “Istituto di Design” in Turin is one of Italy’s most important design study centres, so it is an ideal place to reimagine a Hispano Suiza model.

Final-year students of the IED Turin Three-Year Course in Transport Design have dared to redesign one of the most emblematic historic models of the Spanish brand. The Hispano Suiza Alfonso XIII has passed through their hands and has received a very interesting update to bring it into the 21st century.

A Hispano Suiza classic

The Hispano Suiza Alfonso XIII, also known as T45, was designed by Marc Birkigt and sold between 1911 and 1914. It is considered the first sports car in history and was commissioned by King Alfonso XIII. His request included details that later became part of this model. The monarch wanted a sports car that was agile.

Hispano Suiza offered him a two-seater car, equipped with a four-cylinder inline engine producing 60 CV. The top speed this engine achieved was a not inconsiderable 120 km/h.

In front of the students, the IED Turin was joined by Francesc Arenas, the brand’s design director. He has been advising the students on the path to follow in developing the design of the new proposals. Several have emerged from this collaboration that combines Hispano Suiza’s history and know-how with the ideas of new talents who will soon join the automotive industry.

Design, luxury and comfort are important to Hispano Suiza, as can be seen in the various models throughout the brand’s history. The Hispano Suiza Carmen Boulogne is the latest to arrive and demonstrates how important design is to the brand. You can see the results of this collaboration in this article and how well they work on paper.