Talbot-Lago vehicles are often placed at the top of the list of the most beautiful cars ever built. For example, the famous 1937 Talbot-Lago T150C SS can, arguably, outclass a Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. Thus, whenever an original Talbot-Lago heads for auction, it becomes newsworthy. Bonhams is currently organizing its annual Quail Lodge Auction scheduled for August. One headlining vehicle is an ultra-rare 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Sport Cabriolet Decapotable, one of only four built and two surviving examples.
The Talbot-Lago T26’s bodywork was designed by famed coachbuilder Figoni et Falaschi. The car’s exterior design took inspiration from naval ships of the era giving its signature whale-like body lines. Each fender looks like the head of a whale peeking out of the ocean. This particular T26 Sport Cabriolet was first owned by a French industrialist who ordered the bespoke bodywork. However, it seems the car’s owner did not care enough about it as, within less than ten years, the car was in a state of disrepair. By the 1960s, the car was complete but not roadworthy and was sold off and placed in storage until the 1990s, when it received its first restoration.
In 2006, the 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Sport Cabriolet Décapotable debuted at Bonhams Quail Lodge auction, where Texan collector John O’Quinn purchased it. Under O’Quinn’s care, the T26 received a factory-correct restoration to its current museum-quality condition. The Talbot-Lago T26 is powered by a 4.5-liter straight-six engine producing 175-horsepower. In 1948, the T26’s chassis was all-new and allowed for sportier handling. One could say a car like this is celebrated more as a work of art than a mere means of transportation.
For another Bonham’s auction item check out the 1982 DeLorean DMC-12.