Facel Vega

Facel Vega is a French mark of cars produced between 1954 and 1964 by the Forges and engineering departments of Eure-et-Loir (Facel).

Jean Daninos, founder of this company in 1939, sought by these models to occupy the most prestigious crenel of the French market. It is the writer Pierre Daninos, brother of Jean, who baptized it Vega like the most brilliant star of the Constellation of the Quadrant.

During the years 1952 with 1954 Facel produces the body of the Ford Comet.

Following the accident which killed in 1960 Albert Camus and the nephew of the editor Gallimard at the wheel of Facel Vega FV3B of 253 ch, the writer Rene Étiemble endangered the safety of this car, opinions who engages only him because Facel Vega were regarded at the time by the specialists as cars with the very sure Handling, but the power of the motorizations (until 390 ch with the engine typhoon for the FVII) and the performances out of commun run (240 km/h completely exceptional at the time), could naturally lead to over-estimates of the capacities of the driver as with any even modern sport scar…

With body with sober elegance and an high level of completion, Facel was one of the last marks of French luxury cars. They were equipped with engines of origin Chrysler (Firedome) because Jean Daninos which cannot develop an engine (its firm being rather directed towards the body as subcontractor of large manufacturers) went to seek elsewhere what it could not find in France. The principal models are the series of the FV1, 2 and 3, the HK 500, the HK 2 (Facel II, which represent the height of the style and the performances of the mark), Excellence (a luxurious truck with four doors) and a small size, Facellia, with engine Pont-à-Mousson powerful but fragile. Following problems of reliability which ended up causing the disappearance of the mark, this engine was replaced by one 4 cylinders Volvo, taking then the name of FACEL III. This same base was also used for Facel6, equipped with a six-cylinder motor (that of the Austin Healey).

External bonds

http://www.facel-vega-ig.de/
http://www.facel-vega.asso.fr/welcome.htm
http://www.facel-vega.com/
http://www.histomobile.com/histomob/internet/162/histo01.htm
http://www.automag.be/article.php3?id_article=330
http://www.best-classics.de/facel/

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