Art on Wheels: the rebirth of a Talbot-Lago T14 LS

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The Talbot-Lago name has always stirred emotion. We previously highlighted the exceptional performance of these French beauties, but their aesthetics are at least as significant. The latter certainly applies to the car recently offered after a sympathetic, carefully executed restoration. Not the exterior, but rather the mechanics were thoroughly renewed. Offered by Real Art on Wheels, this Talbot-Lago is quite literally — and figuratively — art on wheels.

And yes, this Talbot-Lago T14 2500 LS also earned its stripes on the circuit. In 1970 it competed in the legendary Coupe de l’Âge d’Or at Montlhéry, where it successfully reached the finish. The letters “LS” stand for a reason: Lago Sport.

For readers of PostWarClassic.com, the Talbot-Lago marque needs little introduction. The cars combined graceful elegance with pure sportiness — a fusion of French refinement and technical bravado. Yet the post-war years were difficult. The market for exclusive automobiles shrank dramatically, and in 1953 France introduced an additional tax on larger engines (chevaux fiscaux, applied to engines over 2 litres), which proved nearly disastrous for brands like Talbot-Lago.

As a lifeline, the T14 LS was introduced — a return to mechanical strength, sporty handling, and timeless elegance. The bodywork was designed by Carlo Delaisse of Letourneur et Marchand, then among France’s most prominent coachbuilders. But times changed: financial pressure forced Talbot-Lago to bring production in-house. For Letourneur et Marchand, this marked the beginning of the end, compounded by the rise of monocoque construction; not long after, the atelier closed its doors. The coachwork of this particular example was therefore built by Talbot-Lago itself.

Beneath the long bonnet lies a 2.5-litre four-cylinder with five main bearings, dual overhead camshafts, and twin Zenith 32 mm carburettors. With 120 hp, it was an impressive power unit in its day. Power was delivered through a Pont-à-Mousson four-speed gearbox or — in the more expensive versions — a fully synchronized ZF four-speed.

According to period sources, only about 54 examples of the T14 series were built, of which just eight were LS-spec cars between 1955 and 1959. The car offered here is one of these extremely rare 1957 T14 LS models. Factory records show it was delivered to M. Paul Damiron and was the second-to-last LS chassis to leave the factory. It was also equipped with the exclusive ZF gearbox.
Upon delivery it received the Parisian registration “4020 FS 75”, issued on 9 January 1957. Later owners can be traced precisely: in 1958 Lucien Charuet, in 1962 Alberto Bernard, and in 1969 Mr. Fromentin, who acquired the Talbot-Lago for 5,500 French francs — already a notable amount at the time.

On 3 May 1970 the car appeared with starting number 28 in the Coupe de l’Âge d’Or at Montlhéry, finishing seventh in its class. Invoices from the early 1970s show the car being serviced by renowned Talbot specialist Georges Grignard, where a mileage of 71,962 km was recorded on 24 June 1971. Shortly thereafter it seems to have been taken off the road: when the current owner purchased it in March 2022, the odometer read just 72,035 km.

Thus a new chapter began. The restoration focused entirely on the mechanics: the engine and ZF gearbox were fully rebuilt, the wiring harness replaced with correct materials, and the interior — still beautifully original — was carefully preserved. New tyres and brakes ensure safe driving once more. Over €150,000 has been invested in recent years.
An important detail: the car was deliberately not restored to concours condition. Only the unpainted sections of the bonnet were refreshed; everything else remained untouched. According to the Talbot-Lago register, this is the last original example, and the owner was urged to preserve it as such. Its authentic patina remains, keeping its history alive. It simply doesn’t get more beautiful.

This Talbot-Lago T14 2500 LS is therefore a model example of the right restoration philosophy: mechanically perfect, historically honest, and with a story spanning from the late fifties to the racing circuits of the seventies. For those who cherish an intellectual love for the marque, appreciating history, engineering, and rarity, this is an opportunity that seldom arises.

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