Talbot Model History

United Kingdom · founded 1903

Defunct British marque (1903–1994) with three distinct lives: Roesch's pre-war six-cylinder thoroughbreds, Antonio Lago's French Grand Prix exotics, and the 1980s Talbot Sunbeam Lotus that won the World Rally Championship.

Models

14/45

Georges Roesch's landmark 1,666 cc six-cylinder that revived Talbot's fortunes in 1927 — the foundation of the entire Roesch model range.

Sports car · 1927–1935
90

Roesch's 2,276 cc touring Talbot capable of ~90 mph — a stepping stone between the entry-level 75 and the legendary 105.

Sports car · 1930–1935
105

The pinnacle of the Roesch era — a 3.0-litre six with staggered valves capable of ~105 mph, victorious in Alpine Trials and at Le Mans.

Sports car · 1931–1935
110

The ultimate Roesch Talbot — a 3,377 cc, 120 bhp six rated at ~110 mph, the final evolution before the STD Motors collapse ended the line.

Sports car · 1935–1936
Talbot-Lago T150

Antonio Lago's pre-war sporting chassis — host to the Figoni et Falaschi 'Teardrop' coupé, one of the most celebrated automotive bodies ever built.

Grand tourer · 1936–1939
Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport

Talbot-Lago's post-war flagship — a hand-built 4.5-litre straight-six exotic and one of the first high-performance road cars produced after WWII.

Grand tourer · 1947–1953
Sunbeam-Talbot 90

Rootes' first new post-war design — a handsome sports saloon whose Alpine Rally success directly spawned the Sunbeam Alpine sports car.

Sports saloon · 1948–1957
Talbot Sunbeam

A rear-wheel-drive three-door hatchback built at Linwood, Scotland — its Lotus-engined variant won Talbot the 1981 World Rally Championship Manufacturers' title.

Supermini · 1977–1981
Talbot Horizon

A front-wheel-drive family hatchback and 1976 European Car of the Year — Talbot's volume mainstay through the early 1980s.

Compact car · 1978–1987
Alpine / 1510

A large front-drive family hatchback styled in the UK and engineered at Simca's Poissy plant — the 1976 European Car of the Year sold as the Chrysler Alpine before becoming the Talbot 1510.

Family car · 1975–1986
Samba

The last all-new Talbot passenger car — a PSA-era supermini based on the Peugeot 104, notable for the Pininfarina-built Cabriolet.

City car · 1981–1986
Tagora

Talbot's ill-fated executive saloon — conceived by Chrysler Europe, launched by PSA, and cancelled after fewer than 20,000 units when it could not compete with the Ford Granada.

Executive car · 1981–1983
Matra Murena

A mid-engined, three-abreast sports coupé built by Matra and sold under the Talbot badge — successor to the Matra Bagheera.

Sports car · 1980–1983
Matra Rancho

A high-roofed, SUV-styled leisure vehicle on a Simca 1100 van base — now regarded as a forerunner of the modern crossover, built from 1977 and badged as a Talbot from 1979.

Crossover · 1977–1984
Express

The last vehicle to carry the Talbot badge — a panel van sold exclusively in the UK, badge-engineered from the PSA/Fiat Ducato joint-venture and built in Italy until 1994.

Van · 1983–1994

Other makes