The last Talbot Tagora goes for a Drive

[@herdarkshadow834]

I had a 1981 2.2 during my final undergrad year at university. I just liked buying ludicrous cars to drive back then. It was a ten year old by then and up for sale for £500. I think I was drawn to it by its sheer size and squareness. The dashboard used to flash like a Christmas tree but it never broke down and is fondly remembered. Some great memories and stories of ‘the old crate’ as I christened remain whilst other cars are largely, if not completely, forgotten. Most comfortable car I ever owned. We often picnicked in it with coca-cola supercans (if you remember them) lined up on the dashboard. Till this day I can’t resist dropping in the phrase ‘Jimmy Hill had one you know’ when mention of the mighty Tagora is made’.

[@TheChazzer81]

I too had one in the early 90s ... great car!

[@bobhopkin9261]

I was the Chrysler Europe Product Planning Manager for the C9 programme that became the Talbot Tagora. If I can help with any questions about the background to this car just ask. I will do my best within the realms of my fading memories! Bob Hopkin

[@furiousdriving]

Hi Bob, thanks for getting in touch, please drop me an email at [e-mail] it would be great to hear about that

[@tonybhogal8112]

Rumour has it the boot is still open 😳 Forgot these things even existing, cracking find fella!

[@jashugg]

Yep that boot is driving me crazy!

[@davidhynd4435]

@@jashugg 14:18 Especially as it looks like the tail light assembly and bumper are moving up and down and the boot lid is staying still. I know it's because the camera is mounted on the boot lid, but that's a very weird effect.

[@smhorse]

@@davidhynd4435 : maybe the bodywork does flex a bit more than we thought

[@GazC]

The bonnet wasn't much better!

[@Thomas-ul3uy]

I saw that also and wondered if I was seeing things.

[@camperlustig68]

Hi Matt, Fantastic. My father worked for Talbot in the early eighties and we had one as company car for six months - 2.2 GLS

[@sporkfindus4777]

What a lovely car! Talbot made quite a few different cars in the early 80s: Samba, Sunbeam, Horizon, Avenger, Solara, Alpine, Tagora, Rancho

[@Laszlobal]

A lot of journalists in France said that PSA decided, after finding out this new car in the Chrysler deal merger, to kill the Tagora because 3 to 4 French "executive cars" competiting in the same company was too much : 505/604, CX + Tagora. And Talbot was a new brand without any track records in luxury cars (except during the 30's). Peugeot decided to freeze all the Talbot marketing investments and didn't allow discount price on this very expensive car in the 80's. The best way to quickly kill the Tagora in 1983. Yours is an amazing survivor, kudos to preserve such a rare car! Sorry for my poor English, I did my best 😉

[@notroll1279]

In Germany, people considered Talbot as Simca's last revenge and shunned almost everything sold under that brand except for a few Horizons, perhaps. I could have told this car was a Talbot but the model name had long escaped my memory. Thank you for showing this rare survivor.

[@obelic71]

Not only in Germany Simca/Chrysler/Talbot was seen as cheap tin worm paradise cars at the low end of the car market in Northern Europe. Most other carbrands did also rust alot in that era but they were the masters is rusting. They made beautifull cars like f.e. the Matra Rancho but lost to less rusting brands. families rather bought more established family car brands like Opel, VW, Ford, Renault, Peugeot etc.etc. What Simca's last revenge is concurned the Talbot Arizona alias Peugeot 309 was sold well and there are still some on the road daily today like the Peugeot 205.

[@notroll1279]

@@obelic71 In the 1950s and early 60s (well before I was born) Simca must have been a pretty classy brand with good looking, reasonably well made cars like Aronde, Chambord etc. that weren't even cheap. That, however, is hardly remembered in most European countries outside France because few were exported there. I also found the Rancho interesting but the company's image was coined and ruined by rustboxes like the 1000 and the 1100. I once read how someone bought one of these three-brick design 1000 and welded the rear doors shut to give the car back some of the strictural rigidity it had lost because of rust...

[@obelic71]

@@notroll1279 Talbot (French/UK brand from the start) also made very beautifull cars. Lots of car companies lost the automotive ratrace and went bankrupt. When they were gobbeld up for pennies by other brands they mostly became just low market placed or badge engineered cars. 95% of those gobbeled up carbrands just perished at the end. Currently Lancia, Chrysler and Seat are hanging in the ropes and fighting for there excistence as a brand.

[@notroll1279]

@@obelic71 Well, Talbot had been legally dead without any car producing underpinning for decades. I believe I remember (not really sure, though) that in Germany, the car maker using the Talbot name again had to pay compensation to a supplier of car accessories who had acquired the brand name for his stuff since the original car maker had gone bust. It's a bit like some Chinese who had the brilliant idea of purchasing the rights to the Borgward brand name - reminiscent of a car manufacturer gone bust in the early 1960s. Why do you think Seat is "hanging in the ropes"? Admittedly, VW has taken out quite a chunk and renamed it into Cupra - but apart from that, they're surely doing better as a brand than originally when they made cheaper Fiats under licence?

[@TheJetJONES]

I was at a car dealership in Schwäbisch Hall. This dealership was full of Matra, Simca, Talbot AND Rover. The funny thing is: This was in 2018! 🤣

[@maxflight777]

My father proudly participated in the design of the Tagora. He spent most of his working life at Jaguar and then Whitely, both in Coventry

[@RichieRouge206]

What an awesome, well thought out car. Those seats are so typically French and wonderful. They look very like Renault 25 seats. What a time warp of a car and I can only imagine the smell and comfort. Heady stuff. Superb video Matt

[@jasonk7072]

The dash architecture looks similar to the R25 too, a bit more reserved than the Renault which was pretty wild at the time (especially with the full spec stereo)

[@dj_paultuk7052]

@@jasonk7072 The R25 was later than this. The R30 was still in production at the time of the Tagora.

[@BruselskySluzebnik]

Old Volvos has a same design as well tho

[@jamesfoster2850]

Fantastic - that's pretty unicorny. Fun fact I found out was that Jimmy Hill had a 2.2GLS when he was director of Coventry City. They had a sponsorship deal with Talbot.

[@peterandhiscat]

So many comments about such an obscure car! Thanks for making this video, great to see a Tagora again. My dad had a 1983 model, 2.2 litre, base spec, in metallic burgundy same colour as your review car. He bought it when it was 2 or 3 years old, heaven knows why, as even then it was clearly a rarity that nobody wanted - a big white elephant. Talbot was a pretty downmarket and obscure brand that suddenly popped up out of nowhere. The car stayed in the family a long time, until it died due to rust at maybe 11 years old, but actually it was impressively reliable and very nice to drive, so I'd say that overall they were good cars, but ill conceived. They were so huge, yet so basic, and such a downmarket brand name, who on earth did they imagine would buy them? Shame it wasn't a Volvo, which would probably still be going 40 years later!

[@jmarthecorkes]

Just tripped over this review and it brought back lots of memories! My father used to work for Peugeot-Talbot and had both a 2.2GLS and a 2.6SX that followed a Peugeot 604, and I was fortunate enought to drive them all. The 2.6SX was pretty quick but did like to drink the fuel. In it's time both models offered something demonstrably better than the usual Ford and Vauxhall fodder. But the Tagora did suffer with the general image of Talbot at the time and looking like an englarged Solara. Such a shame it didn't sell in good numbers. Thanks for the review.

[@simonhodgetts6530]

I loved these things when they were new - you can definitely see some Peugeot 604 influence in the styling and proportions. Fantastic dashboard - elements of Citroen, and an oh so minimal design, which was very ahead of its time. Pity they didn’t sell!

[@jfv65]

it's basically a French Volvo 760. I always liked them but just like most buyers back then i think i would prefer a Peugeot 604Ti. Also a rare car but they sold better then this Tagora. Both 604 and 505 were better looking in my opinion. By the way and as far as i can remember there was no Peugeot 505 V6 available when this Tagora V6 was on offer. The 505 had 4cil injection engines (STI and GTi) and a 4cil Turbo engine, the V6 was only available very late in it's production run.

[@grahamariss2111]

@@jfv65 Point to note the 4cyl turbo engine in the 505 was based on the engine in the 2.2 Tagora, its cast iron block lending itself better to the stresses of boosting and had originally been conceived for the Tagora when under Chrysler when they did not have access to the V6.

[@TheJetJONES]

The Talbot Tagora kinda looks like a Peugeot 604 - but with a more modern style

[@NielsKurstjens]

Actually, they used part of the 505 structure for the Tagora, whereas the 604 is largely based on the 504. Considering that the 505 is also based on the 504 you could say that Peugeot used the 504 platform and structure from the late sixties very efficiently.

[@Gravstein]

My uncle and aunt had a 2.2gls in light blueish gray, this was in the early to mid 90s. I remember faintly a road trip in that car as a kid, the backseat was wast and it was like a massive sofa. The dashboard was something from a spaceship for a kid like me. They loved the car and it was super rear in Norway, he sold it because it was really difficult finding spare parts for it. Its a car you never see anymore. Its a shame because it was kind of a good car that was not selling in big numbers at all.

[@tinniswood2577]

Love the interior and those seats actually look the definition of warm & comfortable.

[@ciaranchew]

Hello from Ireland, love the content, in the 80's worked in garage where my boss used to work for Talbot/Chrysler so we got a lot of work on Talbot Solara's, horizon's, Sunbeams, horrible Samba's, and Tagora's. Did a couple of services on Tagora's and on one Tagora a head gasket, I thought they were a nice car and visually had a hint of Aston Lagonda about them. As for other Talbot's (except the Samba) good cars, but sometimes on a quiet night if you listen closely you can still hear those dished cam followers clicking away from all those Simca engines 🤗👍👍👍

[@jehib8533]

The problem you had with the Samba might have been that it wasN't really a Talbot, but a Peugeot in a Talbot dress (although I personally also rather like the Peogeots of the time). The Simca/Chrysler Europe developed cars that Talbot sold were really all rather good, but seriously underrated let down by the Chrysler turmoil of the late 70s and definitely undermarketed during PSA times.

[@andic6676]

My Dad had a Samba for a while when I was a kid...I loved it when bits fell off the inside and the rain poured in through the sunroof!

[@markrl75]

That and the ominous munching sound of the rust eating away at the bodywork.

[@aurelianday2223]

It makes a change to have someone present cars so enthusiastically without sarcasm or stunted views. Keep em comin’ Love the Tagora. My Parents had a Solara back in the day with heater matrix failure. Apparently a common issue.

[@nygelmiller5293]

To Aurelian Day You said it! no sarcasm, just professionalism.

[@Bumper3D]

My cousin had a Talbot Solara as a sort of farm car back in the late 90s, and I always liked the design of that car. I always knew the Tagora existed, but don't think I've ever seen one in flesh. Now that I have seen one in excellent detail I realise it has much of those same design elements I liked in the Solara but more refined and upmarket. The interior is especially lovely, and seeing it in such mint condition... Wow! Now I would love to own one, but I believe they're just as scarce in Finland as they are in the UK. Excellent review once again, thank you!

[@nigelglover3220]

The V6 engine had two triple-barrel Weber carbs. which resulted in a higher power rating over the fuel-injected versions used by Peugeot. Also, the fuel crisis of 1979 did not help and Talbot had to lower the projected sales figures. And it wasn't really advertised effectively so the public didn't know about it. I loved the car. I was a technician for Rootes/Chrysler/Peugeot back then and went on the Tagora course in Coventry. It was a 4-day course and went into everything about the car. I also drove an SX from my garage to London, a dealer transfer, and was very impressed with the car's handling, performance and quietness. I wish I had enough money to buy one back then!

[@thecrow3461]

What a great looking car, it just screams 80s. I was born in 81 but seeing a Tablot was already pretty rare at that time. The only Talbot's that i remember seeing driving around back then were horizons.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Great review, must of been a bit nerve-racking at times, especially knowing it's the only one, left on the road, very interesting car.

[@furiousdriving]

Dont want a delivery van banging into it for sure!

[@jackdale9831]

No matter. If "Stove-in", it'd be EASILY Forgotten, but if one EVER wants one in the passing of millinia, "3-D" one!

[@Timemachine74]

I saw one of these go through chesterfield car auctions about 30 years ago, I don’t recall a bidding war lol

[@furiousdriving]

probably not...

[@gleng6812]

In the late 90s when scrap value was nothing these would have gone for less than £100! Literally nobody wanted them

[@kenbarlow5373]

Different story these days though I'd bet.

[@McVaio]

​@@kenbarlow5373Probably not.

[@carlleedham6256]

Worked at brocklehurst of chesterfield, was probably sold from there, and I probably put the plates on it

[@sebastian0107]

In 1980 I visited the Poissy-factory. The Tagora production-line was very small, with only a handful of cars in line for assembling. It must have been a day without strikes, people were actually working. What struck me, was that outside there were dozens of unfinished, rejected body's rusting in the open. Either they took their quality-control very seriously, and/or they messed up a lot ... What an awesome example and find this Tagora is! I still like the looks.

[@ajhl9898]

Always thought these were front wheel drive....learn something new every day.🙂

[@RubberstampkingCoUk]

I remember all of the Talbots being comfy and a good ride. However I also remember the rust issues and the clattery noisy engines.

[@lionelnicolas6958]

Hello from France, Great video! Thank you very much. Very rare car indeed. I remember when it went out on the market. With its sharp lines, It looked already a little bit old fashioned in the early 80’s. And the decision to have a non injected version of the PRV (like the Peugeot 604 (my car actually) / Renault 30 and Volvo) was also strange. I remember that the official explanation is that they wanted to have the most powerful version of the PRV. Actually it was the most powerful French car on the market when it was released. But very soon overpassed by the 505 turbo injection and others. Also the Peugeot dealers were not too much enthusiastic to sale this car and rather pushing the customers to buy a 505 or a 604… A pity that this car did not have its chance. So thank you again for your video and sorry if my English is not perfect :-)

[@andrewstones2921]

Thank you for this amazing video. I went to see one that was for sale used in 1989, it was not in the condition that it was described and I did not buy it but these were extremely cheap by that time. I had a few Talbots, 3 Alpines, a Solara and Samba... I did a lot of miles in all of them. Back in the mid 80's a good well maintained used Alpine or Solara was an absolute bargain, you had to accept the ticking camshaft noise as part of the appeal! They were extremely comfortable and in GLS spec were well equipped for the day.

[@willswheels283]

Great review Matt, a rare car indeed, the problem with this car was that in the uk Badge Snobbery existed even in the 80’s so as you indicated driving to the office in your “executive” Talbot probably wasn’t going to win you anymore friends or slaps on the back when others would be brandishing a Jaguar, BMW or even a Rover key ring. The other issue with Talbots was their tendency to dissolve as the metal wasn’t top quality and neither was the rust proofing. This one is in extremely good condition though and it’s good to see such a great example still on the road.

[@michaeltutty1540]

Very interesting review, Matt. As always, informative and engrossing. Keep up the good work.

[@Retro_andy_1977]

Great car Can remember them when I was young ( sub 10 years old) but even then you didn’t see that many Really good review and as thorough as ever😊

[@paulagoodwin1707]

My father had one of these (a 2.2) when it was first launched as a company car while working for Chrysler International in the late 70s/ early 80s in it's day it was incredibly comfortable and impressive, despite it's size I remember it being very easy and pleasant to drive.

[@philllev]

My Dad worked at our local Peugeot Talbot dealership and I remember going in there and sitting in all the cars when I was a young lad. It was around the corner from my house and the transporter unloaded the cars in my road. I remember watching one of these being pushed off as it wouldn't start lol! Did actually see an SX in Ipswich a few years ago in an awful shade of green. Loved all the old Talbot's, brings back great memories so thanks for this.

[@sharonec5419]

My uncle a mechanic had a Talbot Van. Not pretty but it was huge. That is the only Talbot I have ever seen. It was called the Express van and as of 2016 there was still 5000 of them around. Never seen the inside of it. Not sure if Talbot cars were ever sold here in Ireland. Done a Google search and no luck :( I would have loved if the parents had of bought one of these. We did have a huge big Citroen CX do. The Talbot Express van (along with its identical sister vehicle the Fiat Ducato) was a popular base vehicle for motorhomes and campervan conversions. According to the website How Many Left?, as of June 2016 there were fewer than 40 Alpine/Solara models, 20 Horizons, 10 Sambas and only one Tagora still registered with the British Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency, compared to well over 5,000 Talbot Express vans.

[@stuartparfitt2294]

I sat in one!! When I was young we lived next door to a Talbot dealer. IIRC he had 2 of these in the showroom, a red V6 and a 2 tone silver 2.2. He had the engine and interior swapped round and kept the 2-tone silver V6 as his own car. We had a Horizon which also had the same trip computer (we also had at different times 2 Alpines, 4 Avengers and 3 Simca vans)! I've still got the original brochure for the Tagora somewhere! Just a small point, when PSA bought Chrysler Europe all the cars were badged as either Chrysler, Simca or Dodge for the commercials - they must have looked back through the catalogue of marques that they had acquired to find a new name to apply, Talbot which was originally an Anglo-French company must have fitted quite well. Looks like I'll never get a chance to own a Tagora, I hadn't realised they were quite so rare :-(

[@jehib8533]

I see you've found out about the Naylor's doorhandles :-) This one apparently has upmarket ones, because for the smaller cars I know, the Horizon, Simca 1100 and 1307, the keyholes in the front doors weren't integrated into the doorhandle, but were placed separately on the door. I'm glad that some people preserve these cars (apparently there is someone in Southern Germany or Switzerland who even has two or three Tagoras). I always thought those joint French/British development under the Chrysler Europe umbrella were quite nice cars, but the Tagora was let down by internal PSA policy. The Peugeot rear axle was partly responsible for the slightly weird looks of the Tagora, and I don't think it was ever marketed properly.

[@marymoffatt2060]

The reg. no. looks to be that of Peugeot management role car; they were nearly all SX variants and was the only way they could sell them. We used to first service these cars for those entitled to them roughly every three months as the factory gave them a new one after that time. The design suffered from misguided conception that if you upscaled a smaller model (the Solara) then you could sell to the executive sector but they, wisely, stayed away in droves. All our techs. disliked them and when one caught fire when being tuned the mechanics pushed it into the yard and let it burn (I think the owner was happy with that outcome too!).Along with the Ranchero this is a model best forgotten.

[@idanceforpennies281]

The problem was even when Talbot existed no one had heard of Talbot. Same with Sunbeam, the other Roots Group leftover. And for the 12 people who actually knew of Talbot, the backstory of multiple owners and a tiny sales channel would have scared them off anyway.

[@mpersad]

What a remarkable car, and what a privilege it must have been to drive it. Top work as always, thank you Matt!

[@PassionSimcaTalbotHorizon]

Belle présentation de la Tagora.

[@veritasvincit2745]

I remember one on a forecourt in Bilston in around 1989. Didn't shift for months. People just went for the Granada, Rovers or Carltons. Lovely thing and that interior is more appealing than anything new I've seen recently.

[@alansimpson835]

That sliding choke looks like such a good idea and I love that single spoke steering wheel

[@thisiszaphod]

Yes, I've seen one. Seen many, in fact, and sat in them. I was very keen on the PRV V6 version too, back in the day, It was not meant to be, however.-and I am shocked that there is only one of these left on the road. Lovely video and fond memories.

[@van84agon]

had an 86 Peugeot 505, window switches, gear shift and hand brake all look Peugeot. Interesting that was a concern with this car, as the 505 was the only car I've had with bi-level heating, loved that!! the Tagora interior is very nice, as a whole, but the heater controls are disappointing looking... considering the pride of place given the choke!?! thank you for this review *furiousdriving* so very cool to see the PVR twin carbs and a 5 Spd :)

[@stevewilson8467]

Wow, you've smashed it out of the proverbial park with this one! The engine sounds way more refined than I expected, I always associate that era of Talbots as sounding like a tombola full of nails.

[@mattylamb9194]

Tappety Tabots!

[@jehib8533]

This one probably doesn't have the typically tappety sound because it's not a Simca/Chrysler Europe/Talbot engine, but the 2.6/2.7 PRV V6. Anyway, I think the tappety sound only came from the smaller Poissy OHV engines up to 1.6 litres, the 2.2. available in the Tagora was the Type 180 OHC engine

[@MrFlazz99]

Growing up in the '70s/'80s, I used to be able to name any car (and van) from its engine noise and Talbot/Chrysler/Simca always sounded like the most clattery fragile things. I'm amazed anybody ever bought one - perpetually sounding like the engine was running without lubrication and about to seize up. The PRV V6 was hated by the pundits for being a cut-down V8 and sounding rough, but I grew up with Renaults and idolized the R30 from an early age - seriously posh and definitely French.

[@BeamBinge]

The smaller talbot engines may sound terrible but they are also very reliable. I have one in my car and it has never let me down.

[@kieranwhite6647]

I'd totally forgotten about these! I last saw one on display at the NEC about a decade ago

[@pit_stop77]

So reminiscent my old talbot solara sx and in such great condition too 👍👍

[@murrayduncan7621]

Thanks for this excellent video, brought back so many memories of my dad’s 1981 2.2 GLS.

[@profrumpo]

You've done it again treating us to something completely different. I remember these because they were such a rare sight when new, a shame really as I quite like the looks and the interior is especially nice and unfussy especially the dash. Thanks.

[@rahmann936]

My dad's Chrysler Alpine had the same glass coolant expansion tank in it as the Tagora. It funny how you don't forget these things & it was a long time ago. I'd say its boxy, but not as boxy as say your Volvo 740. Loving the design of the alloys 👍 has a futuristic look to them. I don't know why that a large top of the range exeutive car doesn't have either a sunroof or air con as standard. Being an 80s car a sunroof would of been the norm, & air con (if available) would have been an expensive option.

[@williamwales6619]

Good vid.Lots of detail and you are correct.Ive never seen one. Thanks for the education.

[@philipbunker146]

Loving those seats!

[@byronmills5952]

I had a 2.2 GLS - absolutely loved it! 👍👍

[@cjmillsnun]

The roller by the handbrake will be a speaker fader, front to rear.

[@maxidyne]

Another gem! We had an Talbot dealer in our village in the 80s. Seen these Tagora's back in the day, but they where not sold that much. The Horizon was popular in our region, only they rusted so badly. People in our street had a 1307. Great video review Matt!

[@peterriggall8409]

Very pretty car. Headlights look like those fitted to Pug 604 of the day. Glass radiator expansion bottles are a Reno. thing of the day. Think this is the car that created a lot of interest at the ‘Festival of the Unexceptional’. Beautiful 😍

[@NielsKurstjens]

Headlights are not the same as those fitted on the 604. The 604 had 4 separate units, the Tagora only two.

[@michelvondenhoff9673]

Thanks for taking me for a drive in the Tagora 😎

[@MGBetts1]

This is the sort of thing I follow this channel for - fantastic video! 👍🏻

[@grayfool]

What a find! I remember reading reivews at the time and looked at one in a showroom but do not remember seeing one in the wild. Great to see this out and about now.

[@leonardshore1189]

Not too hard to tell the DNA on this one - the interior is oh-so-French, but the sheet metal is a pure Chrysler concoction, you can see the Plymouth Caravelle/ Dodge 400 styling cues. Not often I get to see you driving something I've never seen before, thanks!

[@nygelmiller5293]

beautiful interior/exterior colour combination, and SUCH clean condition! Like a BEAUTIFUL new car!

[@peterhuxley8181]

I once owned one of these. It was a great car, roomy, comfortable and huge!

[@oliverstricker2848]

My father drove exactly this one, the 2.6 SX. The problem of the SX were its carburators. It was difficult to adjust them.

[@peugeotCitroen2CV]

Amazing car, i remember seeing a talbot in the early 90s as a young child and being fascinated by its square styling. Never seen too many after that, nice to have this detailed overview of these fantasitc but forgotten cars.

[@Lot76CARS]

For sure this goes beyond unicorn territory, short-lived due to the PSA buy-out of Chrysler Europe. The looks are uncannily like the later 740/760 it's unreal. Fascinating to me (at least), so much so I bought the brochure from the Bay E. I've never seen one in the flesh and probably will never drive one, so much thanks for bringing this to us Matt!! I've just searched Autoscout one of the biggest European used car website and didn't find a single Tagora!!

[@keithalderson100]

Mine developed corrosion in the Front windscreen drainage area - always watch for blocked drainage tubes in this location with any car you own!

[@rafaminus5366]

Good!! Nice to see a Tagora. I'm 50 yo and it was very difficult see one of these cars in Spain. Amazing interiors

[@andri1940]

Incredible dashboard and surprisingly modern interior. In test drive i think the trunk was open :)

[@michaellecaplain3377]

My kind of 1980s barge - what a machine! 😍

[@cidercecil]

What a lovely car, my Dad used to own an 'A' reg Talbot Alpine and the seats in the Tagora remind me of them 😊

[@mikethecabbie8476]

If I recall correctly, the Warwickshire and England bowler Bob Willis had one, because he could fit in it easily...!

[@bcfairlie1]

Matt I agree with you. This car grows on you. Back in the day when they were released, the teenager me would have loathed these. But now I appreciate the styling and obvious comfort.

[@jackbeith9655]

Beautiful car, a labour of love, money well spent. I used to see these cars regularly as executives at Talbot Linwood car plant near me had them. I owned a Talbot Solara Minx for six years, sounded like a diesel and fuel consumption was like pulling the plug on the bath. (Especially engine cold on choke.)

[@thecrow7]

never heard of this. had a Solara back in the day... loved it very willing motor

[@richardgrant9771]

My dad had a 1981 GL in this exact colour, brings back happy memories

[@Andy-pf7me]

Properly interesting mota! Wouldn't of looked,at a Tagora sideways in the day but what a fool. Really lovely thing.

[@gianpaolovalentino1950]

Hi, I think you’ll find the roller near the handbrake is speaker fader control, very interesting car and great review

[@khew1]

Another superb video. Love the smell reviews too haha. Always find it strange how Cars retain the smell 30-40 years later.

[@anthonystevens8683]

I remember when this car was released around the time I left school started working. I loved the style and saw it at the motor show at the NEC back in the day. At a guess some of the reasons for the lack of sales may well have come from the marketing given that it was in direct competition with other PSA group cars. Anyway I'm pleased to see this review of a car that I liked as a young adult but do not recall seeing on the road. Many thanks for sharing.

[@danielrussell446]

Well done Matt on a great review I always remember my cousin Ronnie had a brand new Tagora a 2.2 GL I believe and he used to let me sit in it as a boy a lovely car he kept it many years and traded it in for a Rover 820 fastback The interior and boot were massive and specs were good but big French saloons have never sold massively here which is a shame The glass coolant bottle was also in my parents horizon we had one explode once when the car overheated but was easy to repair at least! Looking forward to the next one!

[@richardikin]

A perfect example of why I love these older cars.

[@cvtt3194]

I love these old obscure euro cars and learning about them!

[@galimusic7164]

We have a Tagora SX here in Spain, not same condition like yours, but would like to improve it in the future. The most difficult is the lack of parts. We need the wipers linkage, for instance. Tyres are the worse part, TRX 210 65 365 are impossibe to get, they fit only this model!

[@furiousdriving]

Apparently looking in France for parts is the thing to do

[@sebastian0107]

On classic BMW's and Peugeots, it was not uncommon to just change the wheels to something in normal sizes. Hardly anyone will notice if you buy a pair of period-correct alloys.

[@farmergeddon7527]

As a child, I had the 1982 pocket book of the Observer's Book of Automobiles pretty much when it came out - with a white Cavalier SR on the front. That was the first time I saw a Tagora. Your video today is my second. If this pattern follows I'll see another one 2062. If cryonics works anyway...

[@chuckjjohnston4568]

My father had a 2.6 SX from 1981. Traded his Audi 100 5E CD for it, much to my temporary disgust at the time. It was a light metallic blue (although for some reason the tax book said 'grey'). The seats were very comfortable, I think it was the first and only car I fell asleep in the back on a long journey. They were a little disastorous in some ways, the Michelin 210/65/365 TRX tyres were £100 per corner in 1984, the rear diff blew up wiping itself, the torque tube, the gearbox, clutch and flywheel all in one go, and destroyed my father's back when it suddenly went from 60mph to everything locked up. But....when that thing hit 5,000 rpm it sounded incredible, hence the reason I never forgave the auld lad for selling it and not passing it on to me! 😂 It was odd, it was wonderful, and it was a massive pain in the ar5e, but it was loved up until it was replaced with a Scorpio 2.9i. Oh, and that roller control behind the handbrake was the front/rear fader control for the speakers. The stereo was an option item in Ireland: we had a Clarion unit that was stolen from the car when it was in for the diff repair work. It was replaced with a Blaupunkt Toronto SQR45. I may have been a little too obsessed with a car I wasn't old enough to drive..

[@paulc9588]

An amazing car, thanks for sharing. Despite the slightly strange styling and underdog image I always found these appealing cars. Quite like the Sunbeam, Alpine/Solara and 2-Litre also but they do not have the same quirkiness as the Tagora.

[@flemmingsorensen5470]

Such a cool design, especially the interior - cracking car !

[@gryfandjane]

What a lovely car, and an outstanding survivor. Such a shame production was so limited!

[@antonmk1244]

My french neighbors had one. Loved it.

[@philpaxton2078]

I'm sure the GLS was equipped with the 5 speed manual as standard. The roller in the centre console will have been for the speaker balance I assume, as in many cars of the time. I remember sitting in an SX in about 1982, in a showroom in Leeds. The velour splendour was something to behold.

[@marknelson5929]

Dare I say probably better made than an SD1 re materials etc. Twin Webers... wow!!!

[@ksturmer5388]

We had one of those! a 2.2 (I think) in blue!!! The seats were soooooo comfy in that, but it was so, so noisy from the engine and a bit slow, for the size of it! The stereo was absolutely awful too!!!

[@turquoisecat761]

A very nice car, the interior is nicer than any car on sale today, with the velour and lack of an I-Pad on the dash. Used to see lots of Horizons and Solaras as a kid.

[@farmergeddon7527]

That's a bold statement.

[@roygillard471]

I had one of these, a 2.2 GLS and I still have the handbook and sales brochure and I can tell you the 2.2 GLS had a 5 speed manual gearbox as standard, and the drive was via a torque tube, not a propshaft, which meant it was both smooth and quiet. In fact the car was exceptionally quiet inside for its class and it was IMO a better car than the Granada and quicker (and since I worked for Ford I had direct experience to compare them). A very under-rated car.

[@richardmayo517]

Nice video, my dad had one in about 1985/86 I think, pale green, very comfortable

[@boundish1]

Interestingly the 2.2 version of the type 180 engine was used in just 4 cars: Talbot tagora, Matra murena, Peugeot 505 turbo(not to be confused with the 2.2 non turbo wich is a different engine altogether) and the Citroen BX 4TC

[@davidmorland4046]

Like most of the GREAT IDEAS back in the 80's if it wasn't a Ford badged car it never got the praise it REALLY, deserved.

[@melvsbodgeshop4125]

Awesome video, I love all the oddball touches in 80's cars,...

[@comcarclub]

I do like the appreciation of the tea/snack shelf in your videos. Much better than my own personal and boring fixation on where to put keys, wallet and phone.

[@svenlabots1869]

Absolutely stunning car. Thing is, they were very expensive, while the Audi 100 was already a household name and cheaper. They were very thirsty too, which, fighting for a spot in the upgrade market, they just didn't stand a chance. Same goes for the Talbot Samba, so cute, but completely absorbed by the success of the Peugeot 205. Ill fate for Talbot...😓

[@nickhannaford3253]

Nice to see. DMC had the PRV V6 version as company cars. Some of the engineers involved in its development moved from Talbot to DMC.

[@leneanderthalien]

The PRV use by Delorean was a Volvo version 2849cc by with only 130hp because castrative emissions reducing mods

[@MarkSmith-io3qd]

I recognise those window switches from my BX and XM. Cool car.