The Hispano-Suiza H6 represents the pinnacle of early 20th-century automotive engineering and elegance. Prized by discerning motorists for its refinement, power, and exclusivity, the H6 was the most expensive chassis in Europe. It was costlier than a Rolls-Royce and was typically clothed by the era’s premier coachbuilders.

The visionary behind this masterpiece was Swiss engineer Marc Birkigt, whose wartime contributions to aviation – most notably the V-8 aero engine used in Allied fighter planes – won him international acclaim. The marque’s WWI legacy was symbolized by its elegant mascot, Le Cigogne Volante – the Flying Stork – emblematic of the famed squadron of SPAD fighters powered by Hispano-Suiza engines.

After the war, Birkigt brought the same precision to the H6: its aircraft-derived 6.6-liter inline six featured an overhead camshaft and jewel-like crankshaft, machined from a 770-pound billet to a finished weight of just 99 pounds. The H6 also introduced servo-assisted four-wheel braking – so effective that Rolls-Royce paid royalties to use the system. Upon its introduction in 1919, there was no more-advanced production automobile.

Its unique blend of technical precision and stylish elan made the H6 a fixture at European concours d’elegance, with coachbuilders such as Binder, Labourdette, Kellner, and Saoutchik lending their artistry to the prestigious chassis.

Hispano-Suiza debuted in North America at the 1921 New York Automobile Salon, held at the Commodore Hotel. Among those impressed by the marque’s quality and sophistication was Edsel B. Ford. Though heir to an empire built on affordable cars for the masses, Edsel’s taste skewed toward the finest in European design. He would go on to influence the acquisition of Lincoln and filled his own garage with exotics from MG and Bugatti. It is no surprise he would be drawn to the Hispano-Suiza.

To suit his taste, Edsel ordered this H6B, chassis 10363, and commissioned coachbuilder Hermann Brunn of Buffalo, New York, to design and build a custom body. The original correspondence survives in the Henry Ford Museum archives, with copies included in this car’s history file. A key document dated April 3, 1922, outlines the specification:

“Four-passenger Touring Phaeton body to be constructed per design #1643… Framework of body to be of sound white ash…outside of body to be covered with sixteen-gauge hand hammered sheet aluminum. Best grade of hardware, locks, hinges, etc. to be used…Crystal plate silvering quality glass to be used in the windshield…Body to be equipped as follows: Two-piece painted windshield, upper half to swing: Austers folding tonneau windshield, nickel frame, with special curtain arrangement from bow to top of shield…Walnut cabinet at rear of front seat with lamp and switch…Four special fenders of steel with rib in center…Special running boards covered with gray ribbed linoleum bound with nickel silver mouldings…One-man top to have natural wood bows, nickel plated slat irons, covered with Burbank with complete set of side curtains and top boot. Top to be very light and fold easily…Body to be upholstered with straight grain hand buffed semi-bright finish Green Gray leather, carpet to harmonize with leather. Cigar lighter to be installed in instrument board. All interior mountings to be of bronze to harmonize with leather…Entire vehicle to be painted Brunn Gray same as sample submitted, wire wheels to be black enameled. Mouldings on body to be a darker shade of gray. Old English ‘F’ on side of the body.”

Correspondence indicates the car was delivered to Detroit in July 1922 – in time for Edsel’s summer holiday. Shortly after, it was illustrated in Motor Life, Autobody, and L’Auto Carrosserie. Automotive designer and historian Strother MacMinn noted that Ford returned the car to Brunn in late 1925 or early 1926 for light updates.

While the exact duration of Ford’s ownership is unknown, the car’s influence is unmistakable. Not long after acquiring Lincoln, Edsel championed a program of custom bodies by Brunn and others, ushering in a new golden age of American automotive design.

Following Ford’s ownership, the H6B reportedly remained with an East Coast family for 50 years before being sold to noted California collector Ben Paul Moser in 1989. Upon Moser’s passing, the car was sold at auction in 1993 to Stan Lucas. During Lucas’ stewardship, the car was displayed at Pebble Beach in 2008 and the Glenmoor Gathering in 2009. It also appeared in a Lucas Engineering advertisement featuring a photo of Strother MacMinn seated in the car with the caption: “Two classics for your viewing pleasure…”

Presented in stunning, unrestored condition, this H6B is among the most important surviving Hispano-Suizas – boasting exceptional provenance, rich documentation, and a bespoke body built to the exacting standards of Edsel Ford. A centerpiece of the Stan Lucas collection, it has earned its place among the great unspoiled icons of the Classic Era.

Its next caretaker faces a welcome dilemma: preserve this rare artifact for posterity or restore it for the world’s most prestigious concours events, where it would surely be a contender for top honors.