1947 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Cabriolet d’Usine
Ranked among the most powerful production cars available in the immediate postwar period, the T26 Record delivered approximately 170 horsepower from a 4,482 cc inline six featuring a single overhead camshaft and hemispherical combustion chambers.
Anthony Lago and engineer Carlo Marchetti developed the engine during the war years, building on the competition pedigree of the prewar Lago Spéciale.
A four-speed Wilson pre-selector gearbox (operated by a small lever rather than a conventional shift gate) paired with independent coil-spring front suspension gave the 123-inch wheelbase chassis a level of refinement that few contemporary grand tourers could match.
Factory body styles evolved from prewar Talbot-Lago designs, some influenced by Joseph Figoni, and were later refined in-house at Suresnes. The Cabriolet d’Usine (factory convertible) was offered alongside sedans and coupes, with early examples distinguished by details such as free-standing chromed headlamps and generous brightwork trim.
Later production saw certain trim details simplified as financial pressures mounted at Suresnes.
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