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Automotive Lifestyle
VINTAGE: 1937 Talbot Lago Racecar Featured At Paris Auction
Rare competition roadster that competed in top European events before and after World War II is offered by Artcurial at Retromobile.
The Talbot Lago T150C is often seen at historic racing events, such as this outing at the Le Mans Classic. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)
Friday’s Artcurial auction at Retromobile in Paris features this rare racecar, a 1936 Talbot Lago T150C Competition Roadster that was raced extensively prior to World War II competing in such events as the Mille Miglia and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The pre-sale estimate is a hefty 1.2 million to 1.6 million euro, or about $1.6 million to $2.2 million.
The first of six T150Cs built, chassis No. 82930 was one of two cars sold to private customers, although soon after the first owner took delivery, it was returned to Talbot Lago. Among the subsequent owners were Luigi Chinetti and René le Beque, who raced it in many European events.
Here’s the interesting history of this racecar:
Shortly after taking full control of the French arm of the Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq group, Anthony Lago expressed his desire to take his newly formed Talbot Lago brand to the track. He commissioned fellow Italian and Talbot's chief engineer Walter Becchia to create a new dual-purpose sports car that could be used both on the road and track. Work started late in 1935, with the 24 Hours of Le Mans the following year as the objective.
Making the most of a new 4-liter class, the existing T150 six-cylinder engine was enlarged from 2,996cc to 3,994cc. Combining a cast-iron block and an aluminum-alloy cylinder head, the revised engine featured hemispheric combustion chambers and three Stromberg carburetors.
Becchia experimented with different piston designs, which provided a range of compression ratios from 1:7.8 to 1:9.1. The engine was officially, and perhaps optimistically, rated at 200 horsepower, though 175 horsepower was more realistic with the lowest compression.
Mated to a Wilson pre-selector, four-speed gearbox, the new T150C engine was mounted in a ladder-frame chassis. This featured box-section side members connected by tubular cross-sections. Suspension at the front was independent through top links and a transversely mounted leaf spring, while at the rearm an underslung live axle was fitted.
The competition car was clothed in a very slippery, cycle-wing body. Reducing the drag, the headlights were fitted inside the front suspension shroud.
For the 1936 season, four examples were completed as competition cars. For homologation purposes, additional road-car chassis were built, which were very popular with the custom coach-builders and formed the basis for the legendary Figoni & Falaschi Teardrop Coupes.
Two of the competition cars were sold to customers, received considerable support from the works team. Unfortunately, the 24 Hours of Le Mans was cancelled due to massive strikes, so instead the new Talbot Lago racers debuted at the French Grand Prix.
The pre-sale estimate is a hefty 1.2 million to 1.6 million euro, or about $1.6 million to $2.2 million.
The first of six T150Cs built, chassis No. 82930 was one of two cars sold to private customers, although soon after the first owner took delivery, it was returned to Talbot Lago. Among the subsequent owners were Luigi Chinetti and René le Beque, who raced it in many European events.
Here’s the interesting history of this racecar:
Shortly after taking full control of the French arm of the Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq group, Anthony Lago expressed his desire to take his newly formed Talbot Lago brand to the track. He commissioned fellow Italian and Talbot's chief engineer Walter Becchia to create a new dual-purpose sports car that could be used both on the road and track. Work started late in 1935, with the 24 Hours of Le Mans the following year as the objective.
Making the most of a new 4-liter class, the existing T150 six-cylinder engine was enlarged from 2,996cc to 3,994cc. Combining a cast-iron block and an aluminum-alloy cylinder head, the revised engine featured hemispheric combustion chambers and three Stromberg carburetors.
Becchia experimented with different piston designs, which provided a range of compression ratios from 1:7.8 to 1:9.1. The engine was officially, and perhaps optimistically, rated at 200 horsepower, though 175 horsepower was more realistic with the lowest compression.
Mated to a Wilson pre-selector, four-speed gearbox, the new T150C engine was mounted in a ladder-frame chassis. This featured box-section side members connected by tubular cross-sections. Suspension at the front was independent through top links and a transversely mounted leaf spring, while at the rearm an underslung live axle was fitted.
The competition car was clothed in a very slippery, cycle-wing body. Reducing the drag, the headlights were fitted inside the front suspension shroud.
For the 1936 season, four examples were completed as competition cars. For homologation purposes, additional road-car chassis were built, which were very popular with the custom coach-builders and formed the basis for the legendary Figoni & Falaschi Teardrop Coupes.
Two of the competition cars were sold to customers, received considerable support from the works team. Unfortunately, the 24 Hours of Le Mans was cancelled due to massive strikes, so instead the new Talbot Lago racers debuted at the French Grand Prix.
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