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One of the immediate post-war cars that received notoriety for its speed was the T26 Grand Sport (GS). It was built for either racing or luxury and benefited directly from Talbot's successful T26 Course Grand Prix car. As such it was expensive, rare and helped Louis Rosier win the LeMans 24 Hour race.

The GS replaced the Record chassis which was named for its remarkable top speed. Having a 4.5-liter, inline-6 with aluminum cylinder heads and triple carburetor fuel feed from the T26 the Grand Prix cars, the GS was one of the world's most powerful production cars. It produced 190 bhp which was good for around 125 mph depending on the body that was fitted.

Chassis details were similar to the Grand Prix cars, but it was longer and wider. It came it two wheelbase lengths -104 and 110 inches.

All Talbots of the period used a body-on-frame design and had a strong enough chassis to receive a body from wherever the customer chose. Thus, no two cars were alike in the series of 36, and some became the most beautiful expressions of automotive art. Many of the great pre-war design houses like Saoutchik and Figoni & Falaschi were still around to body the T26 in their own way.

Two competition T26s, chassis 110055 and 90131, were prepared for LeMans and looked like underdogs with their pre-war technology compared to competition like Ferrari. However, 24 hour reliability helped the two cars, especially after the Ferraris dropped out, and they placed both first and second place. Louis Rosier raced the winning car for the whole duration except for two laps that his son Jean-Louis drove. In the 24 hours, Rosier peronally changed a rocker arm while in the pits and suffered a black eye in the night when an owl went through the windscreen! For his victory, Louis Rosier was named the Champion of France.

Tony Lago must have been pleased with the LeMans result as four years earlier he said ''Whenever one of my cars wins a race, I feel that I am paying a moral debt to the country which has permitted me to realize my life's dream.''

Unfortunately the Grand Sport was one of the last great cars made by Talbot-Lago. In 1958 the company was bought by Simca.

Chassis & Sales

1950 Talbot-Lago Grand Sport T26 GS Saoutchik Coupé 110151 - sold for $348,000 Only 36 Grand Sport chassis were made, this car being built on the short (104 inch) wheelbase Grand Sport chassis. It was delivered to its first owner, a Monsieur Cayala, in France on 17 October 1950. The car later passed to an enthusiast in Germany and subsequently to Maurice Harloux of Belgium. American collector Paul Myers purchased the Grand Sport from M Harloux, and it was subsequently purchased by the Rosso Bianco Collection. Althou... more
Gallery: 2006 Monterey Preview

1950 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Saouchik Coupe - did not sell for $535,000 The T26 was delivered to its first owner, a Monsieur Cayala, in France on October 17, 1950. The car later passed to an enthusiast in Germany and subsequently to Maurice Harloux of Belgium. American collector Paul Myers purchased the Grand Sport from M. Harloux, and it was subsequently acquired by the Rosso Bianco Collection. In its latest ownership, very recently the Talbot-Lago was treated to a complete body-off restoration by European spe... more
Gallery: 2007 Monterey Preview

1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Franay Berlinette - sold for €303,750 The 1949 T26 Grand Sport offered here is one of just three examples, including one roadster and two coupés, which were originally clothed with handsome bodywork by Franay of Paris. Furthermore, this Coupé is particularly rare as the sole Franay-built example that was originally fitted with a sunroof. Bearing chassis number 110123, the Grand Sport also retains its matching 4.5-litre six-cylinder engine. Today, this stylish and powerful Grand... more
Gallery: 2009 RM Auctions' Automobiles of London

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