Rare Car Archive

Makes › Hispano-Suiza Spain › J12 (Type 68) · Rare production · 1931–1938

Hispano-Suiza
J12 (Type 68)

9.4-litre V12 luxury chassis, each individually coachbuilt

Still being researched: full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.

Hispano-Suiza J12 (Wikipedia article: Hispano-Suiza J12)
Hispano-Suiza J12 (Wikipedia article: Hispano-Suiza J12)
Photo: QuinlanTerry · Public domain
?ProductionNot yet verified
0Chassis documentedin this archive
120SurvivingIndependently researched
Contents
  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Production & history
  3. 03Specifications
  4. 04Colours & options
  5. 05Individual cars
  6. 06Reference

01Overview

At a glance

Built
Not yet verified
Years
1931–1938
Engine
V12, light alloy · 9,424 cc / 9.4 LFactory: 9,424 cc
Power
Not yet verified
Top speed
170 km/hFactory: 170 km/h
Body
Not yet verified
Designer
Not yet verified
In this archive
Not yet verified
Surviving
120 (independently researched)

Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.

Why it matters

The J12 (Type 68) was Hispano-Suiza's large V12 luxury chassis of the 1930s, among the most expensive cars of its day. It was praised for combining power and flexibility with light steering and strong brakes, and it carried bodies by the leading French coachbuilders.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Model rarityNot yet assessed
Specification rarityNot yet assessed
Colour rarityNot yet assessed
Individual rarityNot yet assessed
Historical rarityNot yet assessed
Survival rarityExtremely Rare 120 · Surviving1

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Photos

Exterior, interior and detail photos with their licences.

02Production & history

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

What is countedFigureBasisStatus
Total model productionJ12 chassis built (about 40 believed to survive) 1201 Surviving examples Independently researched

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

Hispano-Suiza presented the J12 (T-68) at the 1931 Paris Salon with a light-alloy V12 of 9,424 cc, a car that exceeded 170 km/h. It was built in three chassis lengths (normal, long and short), and at 200,000 French francs without a body it cost roughly twice as much as other luxury cars of the time.

Bodies came from firms including Franay, Kellner, Saoutchik, Fernandez & Darrin, Binder, Chapron, Letourneur et Marchand and Van Vooren. Individual cars named on the page include chassis 14017 and 14035.

Variants

How each version differs from the standard J12 (Type 68).

No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

03Specifications

Technical specifications

Engine

Engine familyNot yet verified
Engine codeNot yet verified
LayoutV12, light alloy2 Independently researched
Cylinders122 Independently researched
Displacement 9,424 cc / 9.4 LFactory: 9,424 cc2 Independently researched
BoreNot yet verified
StrokeNot yet verified
Compression ratioNot yet verified
Fuel systemNot yet verified
PowerNot yet verified
Power atNot yet verified
TorqueNot yet verified

Transmission & drivetrain

GearboxNot yet verified
GearsNot yet verified
Driven wheelsNot yet verified

Chassis, body & dimensions

ChassisNot yet verified
Front suspensionNot yet verified
Rear suspensionNot yet verified
BrakesNot yet verified
SteeringNot yet verified
Body constructionNot yet verified
WheelbaseNot yet verified
LengthNot yet verified
WidthNot yet verified
HeightNot yet verified
Front trackNot yet verified
Rear trackNot yet verified
Kerb weightNot yet verified
Dry weightNot yet verified

Performance

Maximum speed 170 km/hFactory: 170 km/h2 Independently researchedStated as "exceeded 170 km/h".
0–100 km/hNot yet verified
Fuel tankNot yet verified

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

04Colours & options

Factory colours & interiors

Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Factory options & codes

Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

05Individual cars

Chassis register

Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Competition history

Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Auction & sale history

Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

See one in person

Museums where an example of this car can be seen.

No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

06Reference

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

Being verified against factory or registry sources before it is published. Have a source? Contribute it.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

  1. 1
    RM Sotheby's Monterey 2012, lot 236: 1935 Hispano-Suiza J12 by Kellner Level C
    • 120 J12 chassis built (about 40 believed to survive)
    Accessed 2026-11-11
  2. 2
    Hispano-Suiza: El tipo 68 Level D hispanosuiza.webcindario.com (enthusiast site)
    • motor de aleación ligera, 12 cilindros en V de 9.424 cc
    • 12 cilindros en V
    • 12 cilindros en V de 9.424 cc
    • sobrepasaba los 170 Km/h
    Accessed 2026-11-13

Keep exploring

More from Hispano-Suiza

See all 10 cars by Hispano-Suiza →

Spain More from Spain

9 other makes from SpainAdvanced Design TramontanaAspidCupraElizaldeGTA MotorHirikoPegasoRicart-EspañaSEAT