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In the 1930s, Anthony Lago teamed up Giuseppe Figoni to create the Talbot-Lago Teardrop, one of the most elegant cars ever made. Leading up to the postwar period, Figoni and Lago resumed collaboration and reinterpreted their classic Teardrop design for this one-of cabriolet.

As America was one of the few strong luxury markets after the war, our feature Cabriolet was made as one of Figoni's first designs built for the US. It was specially ordered for George Sidney, an influential movie director who won two Academy Awards. Upon completion, Sidney's Talbot was outwardly different from anything in America and also unique in detail from any other Figoni car.

Having epic proportions, art-deco appointments and classic lines, easily the most striking aspect of this supercar is its body. Giuseppe Figoni penned the design and manufactured it with his business partner Ovidio Falaschi. As early as the 1930s, the two were manufacturing disappearing tops for Delahaye cabriolets. While these were typically two seat roadster affairs, this four seat cabriolet must have been one of their largest projects.

Unique details that set this cabriolet apart from any other Talbot are its unusual grill and three-piece bumpers. While these elements are uneasy, the grace of the fender lines, particularly at the rear with chrome accents and center fin, win over most viewers.

Underneath the steel skin, a Talbot-Lago T26 chassis number 100109 was used to support the massive body. When built, this prewar chassis was highly modern and its engine was tuned by Anthony Lago to achieve 170 bhp with a hemispherical cylinder head design. At some point, the original engine and drive train belonging to 100109 were replaced by Cadillac units, while the originals were crated and stored.

In 2003 this car was subject to a frame-off restoration by RM Coachworks in Canada. They reunited the car with its original engine, and refurbished every part. The completed car debuted at the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours where it looked just as striking as it was in 1947. It has since won numerous awards at every major concours across America and is seen above at the 2006 Palm Beach Concours.

Story by Richard Owen