Talbot-Lago was a company formed by the collapse of Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq in 1935. Anthony Lago, founder of the company, set-out to produce a line of exclusive and expensive sports cars. The cars initially used six-cylinder engines, but later models featured eight-cylinder engines, and the occasional cheaper engines to help increase sales.
Giuseppe Figoni's was a brilliant artist who worked with metal to produce some of the most unique and flowing coach-bodies of all time. His designs amplified his hatred of the wind; the force that caused drag and crippled the cars power. His creations often centered around this hatred, evident by the streamlined designs, flush door handles, steeply raked windshield, sloping fastback, and enclosures for wheels and tires.
The featured Talbot-Lago T26 chassis 100109 was given a hemispherical cylinder head design engine, courtesy of Anthony Lago, that is capable of producing 170 horsepower. Drum brakes provided stopping power while a live rear- and independent front-suspension provided support. The engine was matted to a Wilson four-speed preselector gearbox.
Figoni created the design and manufactured it with Ovidio Falaschi. This exceptional piece of rolling art was sold to movie director George Sidney
The beautiful Talbot-Lago is efficient, beautiful, flamboyant, graceful, and gorgeous. It was truly different from any other vehicle on the American road at the time. When William Lyons, the creator of Jaguar, first saw a Figoni & Falaschi teardrop design, he remarked 'That car is positively indecent.' The profound effect the car had on Lyons is evident in his post-WWI designs.
This one-off creation had a frame-off restoration by RM Coachworks in 2003 and later debuted at the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours. Since that time, it has been continuing to win awards and recognition at major events and concours throughout America.
By Daniel Vaughan
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