This 1957 Talbot Lago Sport 2500 is one of just 45 examples ever made and is said to have been in long-term family ownership. Incredibly, it retains its numbers-matching engine and four-speed manual transmission. Until recently, it was in the same family since 1969, and has emerged with very good cosmetics and looks entirely restorable. There’s even a mention of some light competition use in its history file, which terminates with the car being placed into storage in 1970. The seller believes because it has spent such a long time in storage that the mileage of 72,035 kilometers is accurate. Find it here at ArtCurial where it is expected to sell for between €140,000 – 180,000.

The Talbot Lago Sport 2500 was originally conceived with aluminum bodywork, but this was later adapted to steel. Engine choices included a Talbot Lago four-cylinder that was later swapped out for a V8 from BMW. While Talbot Lago models are generally considered highly collectible, they don’t necessarily have the same worldwide recognition as a Ferrari of the same vintage. Still, it showed the world that the French could build impressive luxury and performance cars, and there’s a tremendous collection of these limited production models at the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum in Florida – be sure to check out their page here if you want to see the numerous other Talbot Lagos they have on display.

While by most collectors’ standards this car absolutely needs to be restored, I would be sorely tempted to drive it as-is. The seats are stunning! They have the deep contours enthusiasts love to find in factory sport seats, and the door panels have deep pockets for storing your driver’s gloves and goggles. That isn’t exactly a sporting gearshift, but I’m sure at the time, it felt quite racy. The dashboard appears to be in excellent shape with clear gauges and what looks like all-original features – no aftermarket radio installed here. This also lends credence to the fact that this car has likely been in storage for decades, as no one has effectively messed with it. The seller does acknowledge some indications of prior restoration attempts to the bodywork but that the interior is all original.

When it comes to vintage cars like these, finding one that is unrestored is what makes all the difference in terms of assessing value. The engine bay and interior are both stunning in terms of how untouched they are while also not appearing to be sorely neglected. There’s a fine line between finding a car that is all-original and well-preserved versus finding out that has been poorly stored and slowly descending into a state of greater decay. This Talbot Lago strikes me as the type of car you don’t want to over-restore but rather focus on improving what needs to be reconditioned for long-term enjoyment and otherwise leaving it alone.