Charred Husk of a Concours 1934 Hispano Suiza Still Sold for $224,000
It was worth about $2 million before the trailer it was being hauled in caught fire. The post Charred Husk of a Concours 1934 Hispano Suiza Still Sold for $224,000 appeared first on The Drive.
In the past few years, several auction results have proven that “major damage” doesn’t deter bidders if the car is special enough. Broad Arrow Auctions added another car to the “holy hell, it sold for how much?” list during its Amelia Island sale. It sold a 1934 Hispano Suiza J12 Vanvooren Cabriolet that burned to a husk in September 2024 for $224,000, including the buyer’s premium. That’s more than a new Porsche 911 GT3 RS.
One of about 120 units built from 1931 to 1938, this J12 was commissioned by Belgian baron Jean Empain and fitted with a body made by French coachbuilder Fernandez et Darrin. Empain used the car to travel across Europe and Africa, and the massive convertible must have turned heads everywhere it went. It was imported to the United States after World War II, though it likely returned to Europe later because its 3388 DR 75 registration number was issued in 1954 in Paris. The “HK” badge on the passenger-side rear fender suggests that it spent time in Hong Kong, too.
Michael Kadoorie owned and restored this J12, which likely explains the Hong Kong connection, and the car was displayed at several high-profile events during the 2010s and 2020s. It was notably shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2013 and at the 2016 edition of The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering. The J12 returned to Pebble Beach in 2024, where it won the coveted Alec Ulmann Trophy, but the trek out to California turned out to be its last for at least a few years.
As for how it ended up in its current condition: It caught fire while riding in an enclosed trailer on Highway 68 near Monterey on September 4, as some readers may remember.
The truck driver sustained minor injuries, and the J12 was completely burnt. The pictures taken by Broad Arrow Auctions show the full extent of the damage, and it’s not pretty. The V12’s valve covers melted, the six tires are flat, there’s nothing left of the interior, and the wood scattered across the cabin looks like charcoal. At first glance, anyone would be forgiven for assuming it’s ready for a trip to the crusher, but it’s not a run-of-the-mill vintage car. It was worth about $2 million before the fire, and someone out there thinks they can make it worth $2 million again.
The car was listed without a reserve, so it could have sold for $3.50 or it could have sold for $1 million. The winning bidder, whose identity hasn’t been revealed, will be hauling it home after spending $224,000 including the buyer’s premium, which checks in at 12% if a car sells for less than $250,000. This J12 needs a huge amount of work—it needs everything, really—but its rarity should make the restoration economically feasible.
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The post Charred Husk of a Concours 1934 Hispano Suiza Still Sold for $224,000 appeared first on The Drive.
