Talbot-Lago T26 Record History
Post-war flagship grand tourer powered by a 4.5-litre twin-cam six — fewer than 590 built, in sedan, cabriolet, and coachbuilt form.
Photo: “File:Paris - Bonhams 2013 - Talbot-Lago record grand sport cabriolet - 1950 - 002.jpg” by Thesupermat / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped to 16:9.
History
Talbot-Lago resumed production in 1946 with the T26 Record, a large, refined grand tourer carrying a 4,483 cc inline-six with twin overhead camshafts producing 170 hp. Fitted with a four-speed Wilson pre-selector gearbox, it offered a top speed of around 170 km/h — genuine performance for a luxury saloon in the immediate postwar years.
Because Talbot-Lago sold bare chassis, the coachbuilding houses Figoni et Falaschi, Saoutchik, Henri Chapron, and Franay produced wildly varied bespoke bodies. The resulting cars ranged from formal four-door sedans to flamboyant streamlined cabriolets. A modernised ponton-style body designed by Carlo Delaisse and built by Facel-Métallon arrived in 1951.
Sales peaked at 433 cars in 1950 but collapsed under France's Pons Plan austerity measures, which discouraged large-displacement luxury cars with punitive taxation. Only 17 examples left the factory in 1953, and production ended that year. Total production is believed to be fewer than 590 units.
Generations
First series · Original body — coachbuilt
Photo: “File:Paris - Bonhams 2013 - Talbot-Lago record grand sport cabriolet - 1950 - 002.jpg” by Thesupermat / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Bare chassis supplied to coachbuilders; bodied in formal sedans, cabriolets, and spectacular one-off specials by Figoni, Saoutchik, and others.
1946 Photo: “File:Paris - Retromobile 2013 - Talbot Lago T26 Record Cabriolet Prototype - 1946 - 105.jpg” by Thesupermat / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped to 16:9.
1947 Photo: “File:1947 Talbot-Lago Type T-26 (3165593680).jpg” by Craig Howell from San Carlos, CA, USA / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
1948 Photo: “File:Talbot Lago T26 Record Cabriolet by Graber (1948) (55067258043).jpg” by Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
1951 Photo: “File:Talbot Lago T26 Record Sport par Dubos (52684931064).jpg” by Alexandre Prevot from Nancy, France / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Second series · Ponton body — Facel-Métallon
Photo: “File:Paris - Bonhams 2015 - Talbot Lago T26 Record Cabriolet - 1953 - 002.jpg” by Thesupermat / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Modernised pontoon bodywork designed by Carlo Delaisse and built by Facel-Métallon; two-piece windscreen, later a panoramic rear window.
1953 Photo: “File:Paris - Bonhams 2015 - Talbot Lago T26 Record Cabriolet - 1953 - 002.jpg” by Thesupermat / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Body styles
- Four-door sedan
- Cabriolet
- Two-door coach
- Surprofilé coupé
Related models
Collect the nameplate
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