1957 Talbot-Lago T14 LS

The Talbot-Lago T14LS was produced from 1955 through 1959, with 54 examples produced (12 with BMW-sourced engines).

In the post-World War II era, Talbot-Lago was in financial distress. The European economy was in shambles, and the world was in need of practical vehicles. The Pons Plan, instituted by the French government, dictated that Talbot-Lago was assigned to produce luxury vehicles, primarily for export. Luxury vehicles were not selling well, and despite their legacy and racing successes, Talbot-Lago struggled to survive.

Talbot-Lago developed the T14LS, later called the America. The first versions were powered by a 4-cylinder, 2491cc engine, that was underpowered. Lacking resources to develop a new engine, Talbot-Lago installed V8 engines purchased from BMW.

Some dealerships were given bare, engineless chassis rather than complete automobiles for showroom display. This particular example, part of the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum, came from a California dealership. The engine is from a BMW 507.