Antonio Lago

Antonio Franco Lago, known as Anthony Lago or Tony Lago, (Venice, 28 March 1893 – Paris, 1 December 1960) was an Italian engineer and motor-industry entrepreneur. In 1936 he bought Automobiles Talbot S.A. from his employers, the collapsed Anglo-French S.T.D. Motors combine, and founded the motor-racing marque Talbot-Lago.

The French government awarded him the Legion d’Honneur for the glory he brought to France.

Lago was born in Venice in 1893, but the family moved to Bergamo, where his father was manager (or owner) of the municipal theatre. He grew up in the company of actors, musicians and government officials, developing relationships with leaders such as Pope John XXIII and Benito Mussolini. He graduated in engineering from the Politecnico di Milano.

In 1915 he joined the Italian Air Force, where he achieved the rank of major during the First World War.

A founder member (one of the first 50) of the Italian National Fascist Party, he became outspokenly critical of fascism, which led to a violent dispute with Benito Mussolini, necessitating his subsequent fleeing to France. In an era of volatile politics he always carried a hand grenade. In 1919 three members of the fascist youth entered a trattoria looking for him, but as they shot the two owners he threw the grenade and ran out the back door. One of the fascists was killed and Lago fled to Paris, reportedly never returning to Italy.

Lago worked for Pratt and Whitney in Southern California before settling in England in the 1920s, where he changed his name to Anthony and represented Isotta-Fraschini plus becoming the technical director of 'L.A.P. Engineering'. He then became director of 'Self-Changing Gears Ltd' owned by Walter Gordon Wilson and John Davenport Siddeley which manufactured Wilson pre-selector gearboxes, and persuaded S.T.D. Motors and others of its merits. He acquired the rights to export Wilson gearboxes from England.

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