It is the most expensive French car ever sold at an auction.
What would you spend on a car? $50,000? $500,000? A stunning and rare 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Teardrop Coupe was purchased by a person who spent more than $13 million. It was sold at the Gooding and Company auction on Amelia Island earlier this month. It was sold for $13,425,000. This made it the most expensive French car ever sold at an auction.
Number 90107 is the chassis T150-C SS that underpins the bodywork by Figoni et Falaschi. According to research by the auction house, between 10 and 20 Teardrop Coupes were designed by the firm. They were made in two styles – the notchback Coupe Jeancart or the fastback Modele New York. Only two Modele New York bodies were made. This is the only one that has survived with its original bodywork.
The factory delivered the Talbot in a blue and gray finish with gray fenders. It had a competition-style exhaust header and painted wire wheels. For 1938’s Concours d’Elegance Femina, the car’s color was changed to cream with red fenders. It was pictured alongside two Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Coupes. Thomas Stewart Lee, a Los Angeles resident who also owned two T150-C-SS Coupes, purchased the car. Lee had the car repainted dark red.
After passing through several owners, the car was painted white and kept in a California garage until 2002. The 90107 was restored and debuted at 2005 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It also made a visit to 2007 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance where it won Best of Show. The car was awarded a First-in-Class trophy at Pebble Beach. It is an excellent example of early automotive design.
The 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Teardrop Coupe is powered by a 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine. It has three Zenith-Stomberg carburators and produces 140 horsepower (104 kilowatts). The engine has a Wilson pre-selector four-speed gearbox, four-wheel mechanical brakes, and a front independent suspension. It also has a live rear axle. Both have semi-elliptical leaves springs.
It is more than 80 years old and would be great to see it reach its centennial. However, the car did vanish for 40 years. We hope it doesn’t disappear again.