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Facel Vega |
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In car manufacturers, Facel Vega was a French manufacturer of luxury cars. Owning a Facel Vega has always been a matter of great pride anywhere in the world..
The marque was created by Jean Daninos. In the beginning, FACEL (Forges et Ateliers de Construction d'Eure-et-Loir) was a metal stamping company that expanded into car building in the early 1950s.
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Facel entered the automobile business firstly as a supplier of special bodies for Delahaye, Panhard and Simca. As some 45,000 Simcas were built, the lucrative contract allowed Facel to proceed with plans of their own car.
The first Facel Vega cars appeared in 1954 with Chrysler V8 engines, firstly a 4.5 liter DeSoto Hemi engine wherein the overall engineering was elementary, with a tubular chassis, double wishbone suspension at the front and a solid driven axle at the back. This was the standard American practice of the times. They were also as heavy as the American cars, at about 4000 lb (1,800 kg). The performance was good class with some 120 mph (190 km/h) maximum speed and 60 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in just under ten seconds.
The Facel Vega became an enduring classic with its well styled bodywork. While most cars were two-door hardtops with no center pillar, a few convertibles were also built.
The 1956 Facel Vega model was an improvement with a larger, 5.4 liter Chrysler, engine, updated transmission and other mechanicals. In 1956 itself, a four door model, the Excellence, with rear-hinged doors (suicide doors) at the back and no center pillar too was produced.
The Facel Vega models of 1959 had even bigger engines, a 5.8 liter and later a 6.3 liter Chrysler V8 and were a lot more faster inspite of their extra weight.
1962 was the year of the Facel II that was less heavy, more sleek, more modern trim and much faster.
In 1960, Facel entered the sports car market with the Facellia, a small car not unlike the popular Mercedes 190SL. The Facellias came in three body styles, 2+2 coupe, cabriolet and 4 seat coupe — all with the same mechanicals and a 96.5" wheelbase.
With the intention of creating a mass produced all-French sports car competing with the Alfa-Romeos, Facel discontinued its use of American engines and went in for a French four cylinder 1.6 liter DOHC engine built by Paul Cavalier of Pont-à-Mousson. The engine however proved disastrous with timing problems, excessive flex and frequent failures. The Facellia despite a Volvo P1800 powerplant in the Facel III became a failure, another Edsel. In 1963, production was stopped.
Facel lost money on every car they built and the luxury car side was supported entirely by work done by Facel Metallon. Jean Daninos fascination with engineering design had become obsessive.
The losses from the small Facellia proved fatal for the company. Facel exited the car market completely in 1964. The Facel 6, which used an Austin Healey 2.8 liter was launched by the company and only 30 cars were produced when the French government scuttled the attempt.
According to many people, including the informed, the Facel 6 was the best Facel. It may have been so but it came too late to save the company.
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