Barely modified Talbot Grand Prix technology for road use
Imagine this: One of the current designers, for example Adrian Newey, in Formula 1 takes a standard Grand Prix (Formula 1) car, modifies the chassis slightly, gives the engine slightly lower revs and thus a longer life and makes the result available as a chassis to coachbuilders such as Sbarro or Pininfarina. They then come up with sweeping and sculptural designs and build luxury sports cars that the world's rich can afford to drive to work during the week - in normal road traffic - and to take part in racing events at the weekend.
Unthinkable today, and not just because of the semi-truckload of technology needed to bring the car to life in the first place. Unthinkable, also because racing technology and road vehicles hardly have anything in common any more.
But around 60 years ago, Anthony Lago did just that when he sold his T26 Grand Sport chassis to coachbuilders. The basis was his Grand Prix cars and the result was convincing. In terms of performance, there were hardly any other vehicles that were comparable. The compositions of the coachbuilders of the time, such as Saoutchick, Chapron, Figoni, Graber or Pennock, were aesthetically impressive. Commercially, however, Mr. Lago did not hit the mark. And so just 32 cars were built, all of them one-offs.
More about this in our more detailed article. And an article about the Talbot Grand Prix cars can be found here.
