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Talbot-Lago
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| Defunct |
Talbot-Lago was a French automobile manufacturer at Suresnes, Seine.
The beginnings
The STD (Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq) combine collapsed in 1935. The French Talbot company was then reorganised by Anthony Lago and since then, the Talbot-Lago name was used. (At the same time, the British interests of Talbot were taken over by the Rootes Group and the parallel using of Talbot brand in France and Britain ended.)
Between wars
Lago was an excellent engineer, who developed the existing six cylinder engine into a high performance 4 litre one. The sporting six cylinder models had a great racing history. The bodies - such as of T150 coupé were made by excellent coachbuilders such as Figoni & Falaschi.
After World War II
After the World War II, for the model Grand Sport 26CV (1947-1954), a 4483cc six cylinder engine was developed. Another model, named Lago Sport (1954-1957) used a Maserati engine. Later Lago America models (1957-1959) used 2.6 or 2,7 litre BMW engines or Simca engines. Despite its high quality cars, Talbot-Lago struggled for survival along with other pre-war marques such as Hotchkiss, Delahaye, and Lagonda and production ceased when Simca took over during 1959. (Simca was soon taken over by Chrysler).
Talbot-Lagos have become a top-prized car at various auctions, fetching as much as $3.685 million at the 2005 Pebble Beach Auction for a 1938 T150-C Lago Speciale Teardrop Coupe. The same year, the top bidder at a Christie's auction was awarded a 1937 Talbot-Lago T150 C-SS Teardrop Coupe with coachwork by Figoni and Falaschi for his $3.535 million-dollar bid.
