![]() Those fields where brightly dressed Marshalls walk with indifference while ‘Motoring Heritage’ is parked in lines for us to stare at while we fumble with our iPhones to take a picture of…the Samba. It was the dumbed-down last gasp of Talbot and – as you point out – it was the instant coffee version of the fresh latte Peugeot 104.Įveryone who reads your article and my comments can smell damp fields of clipped grass, right now. In my defence, it had an interior less comfortable but four times as heavy as that in a 2CV, it started only when it felt like it and it reeked of failure. I killed one, knowing that I would one day pay for my sins. Although its ride and handling were worthy of a tiger cub, the car was clearly shovelled out of the Talbot factory with an invisible sticker on its windscreen saying: “Cheap Car For Trainee Sales Reps”. In my defence, I would suggest that the name ‘Samba’ was probably a key element in this car’s demise. I know my actions and also my indifference has contributed to the extinction of yet another species on this planet. Gavin, you write in a way that draws shame and humility from me. Talbot Samba Cabriolet image © Igelgerson, Talbot Samba in Madrid © Charles01,Talbot Samba LE © Derek Law. And remember, if you’re preparing a list of terrible cabriolets, spare a thought for the Samba. And listen out for the narration, which is delivered in a distinctly BBC children’s television style.Ĭlassic stuff. The advert is notable for the Mobil Self Service petrol station (remember them?), a cheeky reference to the ‘topless’ Samba Cabriolet (guffaw) and a rather delightful Talbot Samba S. He was last seen sleeping on a park bench in Dulwich Hamlet. It features the Churchill Insurance dog on his first acting assignment, along with another unnamed nodding dog whose career never took off. PetrolBlog will leave you with this classic ad from the archives. There’s only one for sale on eBay, which just happens to be a Cabriolet, and it could be yours for a tenner. Whilst it’s encouraging to see numbers increasing, there’s no doubt that the Samba will need love to keep it alive. It’s time to halt the decline of the Talbot Samba. But that’s precisely why it’s so appealing to PetrolBlog. Of course, in the image-obsessed world we now live in, the Talbot Samba Cabriolet wouldn’t stand a chance. It’s no wonder it became so popular in France, with many buyers seeing it as a cut-price VW Golf Cabriolet. Proof that there’s life in the old dog yet.īut here’s the thing – when did you last take a good look at the Talbot Samba Cabriolet? It’s actually a pretty little thing and Pininfarina deserves some credit for making it look so appealing. And yet, despite the derision, it’s almost single-handedly flying the Talbot Samba flag, with 11 on the road – up from seven at the end of 2012. Then there’s the Talbot Samba Cabriolet, which tends to make a regular appearance when folk are compiling a list of the worst convertibles of all time. Today, there are just two left on the road, with a further six registered as SORN. ![]() Its 1.2-litre engine developed 80bhp which, thanks to its lightweight construction, gave the Rallye a decent turn of pace. Take the Talbot Samba Rallye for example, an entry-level racer for budding rally stars everywhere and available in any colour they liked. That’s not to say there were weren’t one or two interesting versions of the Samba. The Samba died and along with it went the Talbot brand. Tropez, whilst the Talbot Samba felt a little bit like a wet day in Coventry. The 205 was effortlessly cool, whereas the Talbot Samba wasn’t. The reason? Quite simply, the Peugeot 205. A fun-size white elephant for sure, but a distinctly obsolete supermini. And yet, by 1986, the Talbot Samba was a bit of a white elephant. ![]() It was quite obviously based on the Peugeot 104, albeit with a slighter shorter wheelbase. The Talbot Samba can owe its existence and its subsequent demise to Peugeot. ![]() And every single one of those brave little Sambas, still dancing around in Britain, need to be preserved. Twenty five! If this were an episode of Casualty, the little Talbot Samba would be fighting for its life, the doctors would be called and the team would start muttering things about putting the car out of its misery.īut this isn’t Casualty, it’s PetrolBlog, and we reckon the Talbot Samba is a miniature hero. There was a Talbot Samba on every corner.Īs recently as 1994 there were 24,129 Talbot Sambas on the road. Once upon a time, Britain’s roads seemed to be littered with the Peugeot 104-based supermini. ![]() In the history of PetrolBlog, never has the ‘whatever happened to’ question been more apt than in the case of the Talbot Samba. ![]()
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