1948 Talbot-Lago T-26 Cabriolet d'Usine

The first Talbot-Lago T26 Cabriolet was exhibited at the 1946 Paris Auto Salon, built on a new chassis with a 4.5-liter, 6-cylinder twin-cam engine developed by Talbot-Lago's chief engineer, Carlo Marchetti. The engine produced 170 horsepower, making the T26 one of the most powerful production cars of the early postwar era. The factory 'grand routiere' coachwork was based on prewar factory bodies and updated by ex-Vanvooren designer Carlo Delaisse.

This Cabriolet d'Usine is an early example characterized by the elegant windshield with no top bar and a pair of free-standing chromed headlamps. Around 155 Talbot-Lago T26s were built in 1947, but only a few were bodied as cabriolets, as they were the most expensive model, and almost all were exported. Its current owner acquired the car from the Orin Smith Collection and has just had the car restored for its visit to the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

Talbot-Lago made about 750 T26s. The firm offered convertibles, sedans, and coupes, but some customers just bought the chassis and hired outside coachmakers to build the body. The new T26 Record model was exhibited at the Paris Salon in October 1946.

The car is powered by a 'hemi' 4.5-liter six-cylinder engine developing 170 horsepower and coupled to a 4-speed semiautomatic (Wilson pre-selector) transmission. The engine was developed by Major Anthony Lago during the war in conjunction with chief engineer Carlo Marchetti. It was one of the most powerful production engines in the early post-war world. The 3,970-pound vehicle has an estimated top speed of 105 mph. The chassis also was given an independent coil springs front suspension.

The body styles were based upon the original 1934 factory bodies conceived with the assistance of coachbuilder Joseph Figoni. They were tastefully updated by Carlo Delaisse, whose resume includes work at the shops of Vanvooren and Letourneur et Marchand.

This Cabriolet d'Usine T26 Record was originally sold in Belgium. It is an early production Record, delivered to Belgian agent Guerret of Brussels in late 1947 and sold to its first owner the following year. Its first-series 'factory convertible' body style has a windshield surround, with no top bar, full chrome trim, and free-standing chromed headlamps.

Believed to have come to the United States in the early 1960s, it remained in Mr. Joseph Cantore's collection until the mid-1990s. William Ruger Jr. acquired the original and unrestored car which had just 26,000 miles on its odometer. In 2004, it was given a comprehensive restoration. In all, more than 4,200 hours were spent on the restoration work.
In 2017, it was offered for sale at RM Sotheby's auction in Amelia Island on behalf of the Orin Smith collection.