1933 Talbot AV105 Super Speed Saloon Coachwork by James Young

As a Swiss, Talbot Chief Engineer, Georges Roesch, designed his cars with Alpine motoring in mind. With their combination of a strong and powerful push-rod six cylinder engine, powerful brakes, light and accurate steering and a compact, light yet sturdy chassis it is no surprise that Talbots excelled in the Alpine Trials of the 1930s, then undoubtedly the foremost long distance rally and an incredible test for both car and driver. Coupled with their successes at Le Mans, Ards and Brooklands the Talbot AV105 was clearly the most effective British sporting car of its size in the period. These successes culminated in the 1934 Alpine Trial where the famed Talbot Team of specially bodied and prepared cars, registered BGH 21, 22 and 23, got through this most arduous of events without losing a single mark. This success has been echoed today and Talbots have been hugely successful in rallies such as the Flying Scotsman, 1000 Mile Trial, Alpine Trial and countless others.

We are delighted to offer one of only two known survivors of the very compact, elegant and sporting 4-door saloon coachwork by James Young on the same AV 105 ‘Super Speed’ chassis, as campaigned so successfully on the aforementioned events, offering a high performance pre War saloon car with a half-length sunroof for wind in the hair motoring if so desired. It is also worth noting that this body was from new all aluminium so was unusually light for a saloon body.

According to the Talbot Factory ledgers ‘AUU’ was delivered in November of 1933 to leading London Talbot dealers Pass & Joyce, who almost certainly commissioned James Young to produce the coachwork on the car today. The cars first known owner was Francis S. Laskey of South Nutfield who purchased the car from dealers ‘The Car Mart’ in 1935, Mr Laskey retained the car until 1950.

The cars next owner was Architect R.P. Gray of Whitehaven, he acquired the car at auction in London in 1950- see notes on file. Gray used the car but it seems to have spent most of its time with him having various aspects worked on, as evidenced by many invoices on file, until passing it onto well-known Devon based collector Colin Vincent in the 1980s. It remained unused in Vincent’s museum until he sold the car onto a P.D Hosen in 1990. Hosen almost straight away passed it onto founder of our sister restoration company I.S Polson- Ian Polson. Ian had wanted to buy the car from Vincent for many years recognizing it as a very rare survivor of the most sporty and rapid 4-seat saloon made by Talbot, finally being in a position to buy the car, he was frustrated to find he had missed out and so bought the car from Hosen.

Ian embarked upon a full rebuild of what was a tired but very complete and genuine car (pleasingly found to retain the original engine) and had completed it up to the stage of a running and driving chassis when he reluctantly sold the car onto Sunbeam and Talbot restorer Bill Barrott in 1995, who again recognized it as a very capable and rare survivor. Bill completed the restoration to a very high standard and used the car for comfortable high-speed touring as the manufacturers had intended, before passing it onto Roesch Talbot collector David Cook in 2010.

Forming part of a private Talbot AV105 collection which had been hand-picked to offer the very best selection available of these cars. During this period ‘AUU’ was regularly maintained and serviced by the vendors own mechanic, whilst having been little used.

Purchased from ourselves by the current owner ‘AUU’ has recently benefitted from a full service, work to the electrics, a new set of tyres and a replacement road wheel, since which point the car has only been used for gentle continental touring. Only for sale because a change in the owner’s circumstances mean he does not have the time to enjoy this car as he feels it deserves. The mileage since restoration of circa 13,000 is believed to be almost certainly correct and the way in which this most elegant and compact car presents certainly backs this up.

On the road ‘AUU’ very much lives up to its specification- taut and remarkably rattle free for a pre-War saloon, being as enjoyable and rapid point to point as the equivalent Vanden Plas bodied tourer.

Offered for sale as one of it is believed two survivors of this most elegant and sporty model, the other survivor having been ensconced in the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu for many years, ‘AUU 10’ offers comfortable high speed pre War sporting motoring in the most elegant of surroundings.