Striking Talbot Lago T150 Teardrop Coupe and Ferrari 250 GT Zagato revisited

When we publish articles on specific models, we always try to include chassis details and shots of all examples that we have seen in the past. The great thing about being an online magazine is that we can then update the existing articles with additional examples when we come across them. Today we have taken the opportunity to expand the features of two of our favourite cars; the Talbot Lago T150C SS Figoni & Falaschi Coupe and the Ferrari 250 GT Zagato Coupe.
First shown during the 1937 New York Auto Show, the 'Teardrop' Talbot Lago is ranked among the best looking cars ever constructed. It combines the race-bred T150 chassis with the aerodynamic lines penned by Joseph Figoni. In total only eleven were constructed, one of which used the less exotic T23 chassis. Of the ten examples built, nine are known to have survived and with the addition of the two examples shot in Monterey last August, we can now proudly feature all of them. The final two additions were perhaps the most important of the type as the first is the original New York show car and the second is the example that was awarded 'Best of Show' at Pebble Beach back in 1998. With these chassis added, our exclusive gallery now boasts a grand total 60 shots.
It remains mystifying why Zagato only clothed a handful of Ferraris during both companies' very long and rich history. Catering specifically to gentleman racers, the lightweight Zagato bodies would have seemingly been a perfect match for the Ferrari competition chassis. Best known of these rare exceptions is the 250 GT Zagato Coupe of which just five were built. Not surprisingly, they were raced with considerable success in period, particularly in Italy. We already featured two examples and have now added a third. This is chassis 0689GT, for which a restyled nose was crafted in 1960. This was finally rectified in a complete restoration that was finished last year. We captured the car at its first major show, The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, which has allowed us to expand the type's gallery to 30 shots.

Enjoy the links:

[url="http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/124/Ferrari-250-GT-Zagato-Coupe.html"]1956 - 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Zagato Coupe - Images, Specifications and Information[/url]

[url="http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/2861/Talbot-Lago-T150C-SS-Figoni-and-Falaschi-Teardrop-Coupe.html"]1937 - 1939 Talbot Lago T150C SS Figoni - Images, Specifications and Information[/url]

Hi Wouter,
sorry to say, but there are several Mistakes in your 'Talbot Lago' discription.


Tony Lago

Italian born, Anthony Lago owned a little Body repairshop, at Kilburn High Road in London, where he sold used Isotta Fraschinis.
He was a trained electrical Engineer and former Major of the italian Army, who spoked five different Lenguages, fluently. One of his best Clients, was Adam Leigh and he became a personal Friend of him.

When Lago discovered the electro-magnetical Gearbox, of Major Wilson, he became very interested and soo he bought the foreign Rights, for 1500 Pounds. As Lago had no money, he borrowd the money, from Adam Leigh.
Lago went on a business Trip to France, to sell Gearboxes, but he failed to sell any of them. In a newspaper he found an advertisement, for a Car Company, Talbot-Darracq. Lago was a clever buisnessman and he knew instantly, that he needed a Car Company, too sell this Gearboxes.
Back to England, he contacted the STD Group, who's managing Director was Louis Coatalen.
The STD Group wanted 30000 Francs, plus the buyer had to pay the debts of Talbot's expensive former racing program, 200000 Francs. There was one Person very interested, Charles Pigozzi, owner of Simca-Fiat.
Lago, in his stylish way, convinced Coatalen and the board of directors, that with him in charge, that he could manage to get a better sellingprice, within a year, but he secured himself the first option, to buy Talbot, for 30000 pounds, if his businessplan failed.

Something to the STD Group.

Louis Coatalen was first the managing Director of Sunbeam and later of the whole STD Group and not the tecnical Director. For this, he never designed a Talbot Engine. The last Engine Update, for Talbot-Darracq, did Georges Roesch, tecnical Director, of Talbot-London, because Talbot-Darracq, had too many different Engines. Roesch's Engines, where slightly modified Talbot-London Engines.

It was Louis Coatalen, who hired the Duo Vincenzo Bertarione/ Walter Becchia, first for Sunbeam, where they designed the famous 'Green Fiats', the Sunbeam 2-litre GP Cars, the 'Tiger' and 'Tigress' Record Cars and the TT Cars and later they designed the Talbot 2-litre GP and the 1.5-litre GP Cars. With Coatalens Racing Program, the STD Group went too the Edge, of bancrupcy.


When Lago started to work with Talbot, he fired Bertarione, who went to Hotchkiss and ordered Becchia, who was working for Talbot, since 1925, to develop an independand Front Suspension, the first of the french luxoury Cars, the famous 'Solution Talbot', which were later used, by Delage and Delahaye, and an 3-litre Engine, for his new Model, the T120. All Cars had to be fitted, with the Wilson Gearbox, who's foreign right's belonged too Lago and gave him some extra fee's.:rolleyes:
To mark the fifference, he added his last Name, to the new Model.

So it was a Talbot-Darracq T120 'Lago Baby', Lago Major, or Lago Master, for the different wheelbase.

There never existed a Company, 'Talbot-Lago', allways, Talbot-Darracq. Talbot for the French Market and Darracq, for the foreign Markets.

Lago had clothed the first three T120 Baby Cabriolets, by Joseph Figoni, who were entered in an Concours d'Eleganc, painted in Red, White and Blue, for the French colours, their Lady Drivers, clothed in the same colours, (not by Figoni), of the Cars.
As selling of these very expensive Cars was very slow, he couldn't manage, that Talbot earned money.

Then entered Willy Rootes in the STD Group and he bought all the shares. He became nearly an heart attack, when he found out, that Lago had the first option, to buy Talbot-Darracq, for 30000 Francs. Pigozzi was offering by this time, 50000 Francs.
Lagos biggest Problem, he was still pennyless, but he went to London and bought Talbot, out of the Rootes Group, with his Option and the new owner became, for the surprise of all, Adam Leigh.
Leigh let Lago in Charge and gave him 'Carte blanche', to do everything he wanted with Talbot. 20 Years later, Lago sold Talbot-Darracq, too Pigozzi and Leigh got his money back. So Tony Lago was never the Owner of Talbot, only managing Director.

When Lago decided, too enter into the French Sportscar Races in 1936, he ordered Becchia, to squeeze out, 4-liter of the existing 3-litre Engine and an hemispherical Head and 1937 a 4.5-litre Engine.
The Standard 4-litre Model became the T150 Speciale and the homologation Model, for the Racing Cars, the T150 SS.

Every Company, who entered in the new Sportscar Races, had to build a Streetmodel. Talbot, the T150 SS, Delahaye, the 135 Competition Court, Bugatti, the Type 57 S and Amilcar, the Pegase.

The biggest Problem of the T150 SS Racing Engine were first, Headgasked Problems, of the Iron Block and alloy head and all the time, breaking exhaust Valve Rocker Arms. The Solution brought an all alloy Engine, for the 4.5-litre Version.
Too solve the Rocker Arms Problem, Marchesi added on both side of the block, a camshaft and a new Head.

4.5-litre Cars are T150 C #901.01, #901.02 and 901.03
T90 MC #901.32
T90 MD #901.30 and 901.31


Regards
Joerg