Page 1 of 2 Next >> 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 four-litre class, the existing 'T150' six cylinder engine was enlarged from 2,996cc to 3,994cc. Combining a cast-iron block and an aluminium alloy cylinder head, the revised engine featured hemispheric combustion chambers and three Stromberg carburettors. 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 bhp but 175 bhp 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 rear 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, which did receive 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. Page 1 of 2 Next >>
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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.