1958 Talbot-Lago T14 America
Representing the final chapter of a once-proud French marque, this extraordinarily rare coupé emerged from Talbot-Lago’s effort to access American markets before its ultimate demise.
Carlo Delaisse of Letourneur et Marchand crafted the beautifully proportioned bodywork, featuring lightweight fiberglass panels for the roof, doors, hood, and trunk mounted on a tubular chassis.
Power came from BMW’s 2.5-liter overhead-valve V8 engine, the same unit used in the BMW 507 and 503. This powerplant replaced Talbot-Lago’s troublesome original four-cylinder engine that had proven unreliable in service.
The BMW V8 was paired with a ZF four-speed manual transmission and delivered significantly more performance than its predecessor.
Only 12 examples received the BMW engine between 1957 and 1959, making this among the rarest production cars ever built.
The America variant featured left-hand drive configuration and upgraded appointments including Robergel wire wheels and leather upholstery. Standard equipment included wind deflectors, Solica heating, and SEV windscreen wipers.
Production ended when Simca acquired the struggling company in 1959. The final handful of chassis received Simca’s less powerful Ford-derived V8 before Talbot-Lago disappeared entirely, marking the end of a marque that had once dominated Grand Prix racing and luxury car construction.
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