Talbot Baby
| Company type | Automobile manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1935 |
| Founder | Tony Lago |
| Fate | Production ceased mid-1942; brand revived briefly in early 1950s |
| Headquarters | Suresnes , France |
| Products | Automobiles (executive sports cars) |
Talbot Baby represents a six-cylinder executive sports automobile introduced by the French manufacturer Talbot in 1936. This model was available in three distinct body configurations: a two-door four-seat coach, a two-door four-seat cabriolet, and a two-door two-seat cabriolet. It was among the earliest vehicles released following Tony Lago's acquisition of the French Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq business in 1935. Production declined during the Second World War and ceased by mid-1942 as the Suresnes factory transitioned to wartime manufacturing.
The "Talbot Baby" designation was revived in June 1951 for a four-cylinder iteration of the redesigned T26, though due to financial constraints, only four units were produced in its final production year, 1953.
Background and launch
After the dissolution and financial collapse of the Anglo-French Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq group in 1935, businessman Tony Lago took control of the French segment, rebranding it as Automobiles Talbot-Darracq S.A., commonly referred to as "Talbot-Lago" in English-speaking regions. Vehicles continued to be marketed domestically under the Talbot name, maintaining legacy branding from before the "-Darracq" suffix was dropped in 1922. Post-World War II references increasingly adopted the "Talbot-Lago" nomenclature.
Lago swiftly broadened the model range with executive and sports cars, supported by an active motorsport program. The Talbot Baby made its debut in 1936 as part of this product development strategy.
The chassis
With a wheelbase of , the Talbot Baby's chassis was a shortened variant of the larger frame used for the manufacturer's full-size "Cadette" and "Major" sedans. Despite its name, the Baby was a sizeable vehicle by period standards.
The driver's seat and steering wheel were positioned on the right-hand side, adhering to an older European driving norm. The front suspension employed independent wheels with a transverse leaf spring, while the rear utilized a rigid axle supported by longitudinal leaf springs. Power was transmitted to the rear axle through a four-speed manual transmission, with an optional Wilson pre-selector gearbox offered at an additional cost of 4,200 Francs in 1937.
The engines
During the 1930s, the Talbot Baby was equipped with six-cylinder engines available in and displacements that shared a common stroke of 104.5 mm but differed in bore size (78 mm or 90 mm). These engine sizes corresponded to 17CV and 23CV fiscal horsepower categories, giving rise to the Talbot Baby 17CV and Talbot Baby 23CV designations.
At the 1937 Paris Motor Show, Talbot unveiled the Talbot Baby 15CV (Baby-Quinze), featuring a smaller engine that placed it within the 15CV tax bracket. Peak power outputs were , , and for the 15CV, 17CV, and 23CV engines respectively. Talbot measured engine power at approximately 90% of maximum revolutions to represent practical usable performance.
For the standard two-door steel-bodied saloon, top speeds reached about , , and kilometers per hour for the 15CV, 17CV, and 23CV models respectively, with coachbuilt lightweight versions capable of higher velocities.
The bodies
The typical Baby model came as a two-door steel-bodied sports saloon accommodating four passengers. In 1937, prices ranged from 56,940 to 72,800 francs depending on engine specification. The shorter wheelbase relative to the Talbot Cadette reduced interior space but allowed for an extended front section housing straight-six engines. Visually distinguishing between the 15CV, 17CV, or 23CV variants was challenging; however, 15CV models featured disc wheels with perforations while more powerful Babys were fitted with spoked wheels that could be easily swapped.
Clients had the option to acquire just a chassis for bespoke coachbuilt bodies, priced between 42,120 and 58,030 francs in 1937 based on engine size.
Additional standard body styles included four- or two-seat cabriolets. Four-seater cabriolets were approximately 6,000 francs more expensive than steel saloons, whereas two-seaters were priced at either 72,700 or 83,610 francs for the 17CV or 23CV variants respectively. The two-seat cabriolet was not offered for the 15CV Baby at that time.
Talbot Lago-Spécial
The Talbot Lago-Spécial was essentially a Baby 23CV model enhanced with a more sophisticated cylinder head. While it offered the same body styles as the Baby, it also included a "Coach Grand Luxe" steel-bodied two-door four-seater option, which was priced at 103,480 francs during the 1937 Paris Motor Show—nearly twice the cost of the comparable Baby 15CV version—reflecting its higher-end features and the inclusion of a Wilson pre-selector gearbox.
Its 3996 cc (23CV) engine incorporated a lightweight alloy cylinder head featuring hemispherical combustion chambers and valves positioned in a narrow V arrangement, all actuated by a single camshaft. Initially, twin Zénith-Stromberg 42 carburettors provided power output and enabled a top speed of 160 km/h (101 mph). In 1938, this setup was upgraded to triple Zénith 32 carburettors to enhance performance further. This advanced cylinder head design anticipated later developments, culminating in the postwar Talbot Lago Record’s twin camshaft configuration.
Talbot Lago-SS
The Lago-SS model utilized the same advanced cylinder-head technology as the Lago-Spécial but was built on a chassis with a shortened wheelbase. Talbot offered this model exclusively as a bare chassis, which was then fitted with custom coachwork by prestigious firms such as Figoni & Falaschi. Standard models were equipped with triple Zénith 32 carburettors for fuel delivery; however, certain versions featured larger Zénith 35 carburettors, increasing power output to .
The New Baby of 1952
Although it retained Talbot’s traditional lineage, the 1952 Talbot-Lago Baby represented a notable departure from the earlier 1930s designs. Production numbers were limited, with the car built on a wheelbase and sporting a Ponton-style body that it shared with the redesigned 4,482 cc (26CV) Talbot Lago Record. Unlike the Record’s six-cylinder engine, the initial Baby model was powered by a four-cylinder 2690 cc unit generating . Due to financial constraints, Talbot later introduced a six-cylinder 2693 cc variant, resulting in both 15CV and 23CV fiscal horsepower options available by 1952.
By the time of the October 1953 Paris Motor Show, the Talbot Baby had been removed from official price lists, leaving only one remaining 15CV model available for purchase.