Talbot-Lago T4 Minor Saloon

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When the troubled Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq empire finally collapsed in 1935, the wealthy Italian-born entrepreneur Tony Lago stepped in to take control of the French based Talbot arm of the business.

Renaming his cars Talbot-Lago for export markets, he also embarked on a high-profile racing programme to promote his products which met with considerable success.

Continuing with Talbot’s existing range of products in the short term, he quickly employed the services of Walter Becchia to come up with some new ideas. Becchia, (who was to leave Talbot in 1939 to join Citroen and help develop the 2CV), felt that Talbot needed to expand its market by offering a medium-size 4-cylinder car and set about designing what was to become the T4 ‘Minor’.

Based on an existing chassis from the Talbot sports saloon, it received a scaled-down body from the top of the range Major and Cadette models. Fitted with a new 2,323cc 4-cylinder 62bhp engine and conventional gearbox, they were all made in RHD form, as were most quality European cars of the period.

Competing with Hotchkiss and Salmson, they were definitely a cut above the average when introduced in 1937, sales being interrupted by the outbreak of war.

This 1938 example was extensively restored in France in the late '90s, the bodywork being in excellent condition with good paintwork. There are several photos in the file of the work done and the interior is particularly nice, with lovely cloth upholstery and quality instrumentation to the dashboard. It also has a gorgeous Talbot-Lago leaf sprung steering wheel which was fitted across the range. The car has had just three recorded owners since 1955 and comes with a period handbook.

Imported into the UK earlier this year, it passed an MOT in July and is taxed until June 2015.

These high quality Talbot-Lagos make a very interesting up-market alternative to a Traction Avant and feature on the accepted post-vintage thoroughbred (PVT) listing of the Vintage Sports Car Club, making them particularly usable across a wide range of disciplines.