Forgotten ONES - The tale of the
Hispano Alemán Vizcaya is a captivating chapter in automotive history, marked by ambition, cross-cultural collaboration, and ultimately, unfortunate legal setbacks. Conceived by
Werner Bernhard Heiderich—known as
Ben Heiderich—
a former U.S. Air Force serviceman who had relocated to Spain, the
Vizcaya was his ambitious attempt to create a refined alternative to
the Porsche 914-6.
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The Hispano Alemán Vizcaya was born from Ben Heiderich's vision to fill Spain's gap in luxury cars by creating an elegant, high-performance vehicle. (Picture from: CarsThatNeverMadeItEtc)
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At a time when luxury cars were scarce in Spain,
Heiderich saw potential in designing an elegant, high-performance vehicle that would appeal to both foreign and local audiences. Driven by his passion for cars and his strong connections within the automotive industry,
Heiderich launched
the Hispano Alemán brand in 1969. His vision for the
Vizcaya took shape when he decided to enhance the
Porsche 914/6, a model that was often criticized for its somewhat boxy appearance.
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| The Hispano Alemán Vizcaya took shape from Ben Heiderich’s vision to transform the often-criticized, boxy Porsche 914-6 into a more refined and elegant model. (Picture from: CarsThatNeverMadeItEtc) |
Heiderich’s goal was to transform the car into a more sophisticated design, one that could compete visually with other European sports cars. For this ambitious reimagining,
Heiderich initially approached
Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, but the project eventually fell into the hands of his friend,
Pietro Frua, a respected name in Italian automotive design.
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| The Hispano Alemán Vizcaya unveiled at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, showcased a sleeker, more Italian-inspired elegance to the car, giving it smooth lines and a refined profile that set it apart from its Porsche counterpart. (Picture from: HeartBoomCars) |
The resulting design, unveiled at
the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, was a stunning transformation of
the 914/6.
Frua’s expertise brought a sleeker, more Italian-inspired elegance to the car, giving it smooth lines and a refined profile that set it apart from
its Porsche counterpart. Named the
Hispano Alemán Vizcaya, the vehicle quickly attracted attention at the show, standing out as a beautiful fusion of German engineering and Italian artistry.
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| The Hispano Alemán Vizcaya was designed by Pietro Frua who succeeded in making this car have a beautiful fusion of German engineering and Italian artistry. (Picture from: CarsThatNeverMadeItEtc) |
Interest in the
Vizcaya grew significantly when even
Porsche showed enthusiasm, placing a considerable order with the intention of introducing the
Vizcaya to a broader market. However, as the project gained momentum,
it encountered legal obstacles.
A dispute arose between Heiderich and Frua, which led to the car being seized by Swiss authorities shortly after its Geneva debut. While
Heiderich fought to recover the
Vizcaya in court, the legal proceedings dragged on for years.
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| Beneath its sleek exterior, the Hispano Alemán Vizcaya boasted a tuned engine, producing an impressive 225 horsepower, ensuring exhilarating acceleration and dynamic handling characteristic of a true sports car. (Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani) |
By the time
Heiderich finally won the court case in
1976, the window of opportunity had closed.
The Porsche 914 was discontinued that same year, making the prospect of resuming
the Vizcaya project unfeasible. Despite the legal victory, the timing was unfortunate, and
Heiderich had to abandon his dream of bringing the
Vizcaya into full-scale production, and left only one unit ever made.
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| The Hispano Alemán Vizcaya was built on the chassis and drivetrain of the Porsche 914-6 which was produced from 1969 to 1976. (Picture from: CarsThatNeverMadeItEtc) |
The
Hispano Alemán Vizcaya remains a symbol of
Heiderich’s bold vision and his willingness to take risks. Though it ultimately faced a premature end, the
Vizcaya still stands as a testament to the unique blend of Spanish and German automotive passion, driven by an individual who sought to create something truly special. Today, the
Vizcaya is remembered as a rare gem that showcases what might have been, embodying a story of creativity and ambition halted by fate but cherished by car enthusiasts who value its legacy.
*** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | HEARTBOOMCARS | BURRITODETODO | BLOG.TARANEA.ES | CARROZZIERI-ITALIANI | UNDISCOVEREDCLASSIC | CARSTHATNEVERMADEITETC | AUTOPASION18 ]
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