Who founded Hispano-Suiza, and where?

Short answer

Hispano-Suiza was founded in 1904 by Swiss engineer Marc Birkigt and by Damián Mateu. Birkigt, born in Geneva in 1878, had lived in Barcelona since Emilio de la Cuadra hired him in 1898. The firm made luxury cars, aircraft engines, trucks and weapons.

Published: November 5, 2026 · Updated: November 5, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

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A Swiss Engineer in Barcelona

Marc Birkigt was born in Geneva on 8 March 1878 and was a Swiss pioneer of the automobile and of aviation. He was living in Barcelona when Emilio de la Cuadra hired him in 1898. The company was founded in 1904 by Birkigt and Damián Mateu. Birkigt died in Versoix on 15 March 1953.

Luxury Cars, Engines, Lorries and Weapons

Hispano-Suiza's activity covered luxury automobiles, aero engines, lorries and armaments. Its French branch later moved to larger factories at Bois-Colombes. The Hispano-Suiza 8 a, a 150 hp 90° V8, introduced the innovative concept of light-alloy cylinder blocks.

The Engine That Reached the Front

In February 1915, Birkigt had created an overhead-camshaft aero engine based on his Hispano-Suiza car V8: 150 kg (330 lb) in weight and 100 kW (140 hp) at 1,400 rpm. A later refinement raised the power to 110 kW (150 hp) in July 1915. From 1915, the French air force was equipped with 40,000 of these engines. One of them powered the SPAD S.VII of Stork Squadron ace Georges Guynemer. That fighter was flown by several famous aces, such as the Frenchman Guynemer, the Italian Francesco Baracca and the Australian Alexander Pentland.