On the dissolution of the Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq combine in 1934, one of the company’s assistant directors, Major A.F.

‘Tony’ Lago, bought the Darracq factory at Suresnes and continued production, selling his cars as Darracqs in the UK and Talbots in France.

The revitalized marque embraced both sports car and Grand Prix racing, and in 1937 achieved victories in the French Grand Prix and the Tourist Trophy; from then onwards it was an uphill struggle against the state-subsidised might of the German and Italian opposition.

There were, however, many notable successes in the immediate post-war years, including three Grand Prix wins for French Champion Louis Rosier, and by the coming of war in 1939 Tony Lago had succeeded in creating a marque ranked alongside the very best in Europe.

The first Lago-built cars retained the existing X-braced, independently front suspended chassis but were powered by a trio of new six-cylinder engines designed by ex-FIAT engineer Walter Becchia: 2.7-liter ...