1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Coupé (Barou coachwork)
- Colour
- Silver grey metallic
Chassis 110107 is believed to be the sole Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Coupé bodied by Carrosserie Jean Barou of Tournon, completed in late 1948 and delivered in March 1949. The elegant teardrop coupé draws stylistic influences from the Jaguar XK 120, pre-war BMW competition cars, and the Mercedes-Benz 540K Spezial Roadster. After decades in secretive French ownership — including a period stored in a disused dance hall — the car passed to Swiss collector Jean Tua for nearly thirty years before appearing at a Geneva Sotheby's auction in 1997. Subsequent Austrian ownership saw it exhibited at the 1998 Bagatelle Concours d'Elegance. The car retains its matching-numbers drivetrain and is estimated to have covered just 2,000 kilometres since 1997.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold €961,250 (≈ $1.06M)
- 1949-03-11 →Factory deliveryMonsieur Ravoux (General Manager, Clovis Frères)full documentation
Car delivered new in cream with biscuit and dark orange leather; registered under the Clovis Frères company name on 23 March 1949. Ravoux is thought to have sold the car in the mid-1950s.
- → 1997Acquisition unknownJean Tuapartial documentation
Geneva-based Swiss collector who held the car for roughly three decades; carried out bodywork repairs and a repaint, though the car remained essentially unused during his stewardship. Displayed the car as part of his collection in the 1990s before consigning it to auction.
- 1997 → 1999AuctionEgon Zweimüllerfull documentation
Austrian collector who acquired the car at a Sotheby's Geneva sale; had the exterior repainted in silver-grey metallic while retaining the original interior. Incorrectly attributed the coachwork to Saoutchik during his ownership.
- 1999 →Private saleCurrent consigning ownerpartial documentation
Purchased directly from Zweimüller; has kept the car for over 25 years with minimal use, estimated at roughly 2,000 km since late 1997. Some servicing of fuel and braking systems carried out prior to the present sale.
- Date unknownPrivate saleDriving school director in Oyonnaxpartial documentation
Purchased from Ravoux in the mid-1950s; still in possession as of 1969 when a club member saw a photo in his office, though he indicated high running costs were forcing a sale.
Competition
- 1998-09-01Bagatelle Concours d'Elegance
Exhibited by Zweimüller, who at the time incorrectly believed the coachwork was by Saoutchik rather than Barou.
- —Course de Côte de Macon-Solutré
Photographic evidence shows the car competing at this hillclimb event in front of La Roche de Solutré; image is believed to date from after July 1954 based on the registration number visible.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Bodywork
Bodywork repairs and a full repaint were undertaken, with particular focus on cosmetic condition after prolonged storage during much of the 1960s. The car emerged in cream paintwork.
Carried out during Jean Tua's ownership, which began around 1968 or 1969.
- —Bodywork
The exterior was repainted in silver grey metallic; the original interior was retained without alteration.
Commissioned by Egon Zweimüller after his acquisition at the 1997 Sotheby's Geneva auction.
- —Mechanical
Fuel and braking systems were cleaned and repaired to restore correct function prior to consignment for sale.
Carried out immediately before the current auction; matching-numbers status of engine, gearbox, and rear axle confirmed at inspection.
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