Description
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Icon of the French Automotive Industry
Restored by marque specialists*
In 1903, Earl Charles Chetwynd-Talbot founded the company Talbot in England, initially as a pure importer of the French brand Clément.
Later, Talbot began building its own vehicles and in 1920 merged with Darracq and Sunbeam to form the “STD” Group. The headquarters remained in England, but through Darracq the company now also operated a factory in France (Suresnes).
When the group ran into financial difficulties in the 1930s, the Italian-born businessman Antonio “Anthony” Lago recognized his opportunity and, within just a few years, succeeded in taking over the Suresnes factory entirely.
Lago immediately set about renewing the entire vehicle range, including the engines. The previously built “sea monsters” in Suresnes (as Lago himself called them) were to be replaced by modern, sporty, and at the same time elegant automobiles.
The new top model was the T150C “Lago Speciale,” a highly advanced vehicle for its time, featuring independent front suspension, hemispherical combustion chambers, and an advanced pre-selector gearbox.
In terms of pricing, Anthony Lago’s sports cars were positioned between the already expensive Delage and the even more expensive Bugatti models.
Some vehicles were bodied by renowned coachbuilders such as Figoni et Falaschi. These approximately 25 cars are today among the most sought-after classic cars in the world and have already been traded for over 10 million US dollars.
The remaining T150C models received the equally beautiful factory bodywork, like our car.
Within just a few years, Anthony Lago had managed to transform the struggling factory in Suresnes into one of the most prestigious automotive brands in the world.
Talbot-Lago was also very successful in motorsport. As early as the 1930s, the marque won several Grand Prix races and left an excellent impression on the public, not least due to its reliability.
After the Second World War, racing activities were quickly resumed, and in 1950 Talbot-Lago sensationally won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race car was still powered by a further development of the T150C engine, once again impressively underlining the advanced nature of the design.
Anthony Lago passed away on December 1, 1960. The approximately 2, 500 cars created under his leadership are today highly sought-after collector’s items and significantly rarer than, for example, pre-war Bugattis (around 8, 000 vehicles).
Our car was delivered new in Paris, where it remained with several owners until the 1960s. It then continued its life in Taverny.
Between 1993 and 1996, the T150C was restored by specialists in France and subsequently sold to Germany.
For around 10 years, it has been in the current ownership of a knowledgeable pre-war car enthusiast with his own workshop.
The Talbot-Lago is road registered, has a valid TÜV inspection, and is ready for immediate use.
