Roi de la Route

Facel Vega, a French sports car brand that unfortunately only existed from 1954 to 1964. A brief historical look at Facel: Jean Daninos initially worked as a designer at Citroën, creating the beautiful Traction Avant convertibles and coupes. In December 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II, he founded his own company called FACEL (Forges et Ateliers de Construction d’Eure et Loire). They manufactured sheet metal for all kinds of purposes. After the war, the opportunity arose to produce small series for car manufacturers whose factories had been destroyed in the war. Facel built exquisite coupes for Simca and Ford France. After Ford France ceased production in France in 1954 and sold the factory to Simca, Jean Daninos began producing cars under his own name in his factory. He had already planned this step and, in 1951, built a prototype based on a Bentley to ensure future independence from established car manufacturers. This prototype served as his private car for a long time. To demonstrate a certain continuity after the Ford Comete, the company sought another name from astronomy and named the now independent brand Facel Vega. Vega is a star in the constellation Lyra.
Due to the aftermath of the war, all the illustrious names of French luxury brands such as Delahaye, Delage, Voisin, Talbot, and Bugatti disappeared. Jean Daninos filled precisely this gap with his exquisite sports cars. Initially, only top-of-the-range coupes were produced, equipped with uprated Chrysler Hemi V8 engines. The eight-cylinder Facel Vega models (the most famous models are called FVS, HK 500, Facel II, and Excellence) were among the most expensive and fastest cars of the 1950s and 1960s. Some models were more expensive than a Rolls-Royce, and all were considered the fastest four-seaters of their time! Illustrious clientele literally lined up, and the cars were snatched out of FACEL’s hands. Customers included the Moroccan King Hassan II, the Shah of Persia, actress Ava Gardner, Formula 1 driver Stirling Moss, Beatle singer Ringo Starr, and actor Tony Curtis. When French Nobel Prize winner for literature Albert Camus was killed in a 1960 accident while a passenger in an FV3b, the brand involuntarily made the front pages of every major newspaper worldwide. At the time, only two Facel Vegas were registered in West Berlin; today, there are said to be seven. To round out the model range at the lower end, the small Facellia was launched in 1960, featuring a self-developed four-cylinder engine. Because many of the four-cylinder engines caused problems and attempts were made to repair all engine failures under warranty, the company suddenly found itself in a difficult situation. In 1963, the Facellia was replaced by the Facel III, featuring a more powerful engine from a Volvo P1800 S, and in 1964, the Facel 6, featuring a six-cylinder engine from an Austin Healey, was launched. Both vehicles were reliable, but bankruptcy could not be avoided, and this fascinating brand disappeared from the market after only ten years. A total of 1,174 eight-cylinder models were produced: 1,258 Facellias, and 432 Facel IIIs and Facel 6s. Today, these vehicles are absolute rarities, and virtually everyone succumbs to their design and unique charisma. Facel Vega models set the trend in terms of performance and design. The brand is often referred to as the inventor of the center console, and its vertically positioned twin headlights behind a glass dome certainly inspired the design of Mercedes models of the 1960s and early 1970s. The timeless and stylish appearance of these cars is just as relevant today as it was 60 years ago! Just look at the company logo; it’s widely considered the most stylish in automotive history.

This extremely rare Facel Vega Excellence was first registered in France on September 15, 1960, with so-called export license plates. This was an export license plate because the Canadian buyer had picked up the car himself from the factory in Paris and then spent a vacation in France with it. Only after his vacation did he have the car shipped to Canada and register it there. The car was ordered in Tudor Grey with brown leather and a Torqueflite automatic transmission. In the 1980s, the Facel was brought back to France by Atelier Coteaux and sold to someone in the Netherlands. On May 7, 1992, the car was sold to Belgium and more or less simply placed in a collection. In 2019, shortly before the coronavirus pandemic, the vehicle was purchased by someone from Denmark who wanted to have the well-preserved, but rather patinated car restored immediately. Due to the pandemic, the restoration was not scheduled to begin until 2022 and was not completed until May 2025. Since the owner’s circumstances in Denmark have since changed, he has given us the vehicle for sale.

During the restoration, the vehicle was completely disassembled, including the bodywork. Everything was disassembled, cleaned, refurbished, repainted, and reassembled with new components. The new paint job was applied in the original color, mimicking the leather color as closely as possible. The engine was also disassembled and completely overhauled. The steering was fitted with electric power assistance, the assistance force of which can be adjusted via a rotary control. Since this electric power steering system can be adjusted much more smoothly than the contemporary hydraulic power steering, the large original steering wheel, which restricted freedom of movement, was no longer needed. A smaller steering wheel in the original style was custom-made and installed for this car. This attention to detail permeates the entire restoration, and the result is “stunning.” The car drives better than all the other nine Facel Vegas we have had in our workshop! The handling, steering, and braking all inspire confidence, allowing you to simply enjoy the ride in this magnificent specimen. Despite the complex door construction, there are hardly any creaking, rattling, or squeaking noises, even on rough cobblestones.

A Facel Vega Excellence was arguably the most exclusive sedan of its time and was also known in France as the “Roi de le Route” (King of the Road). But we warn you, once infected, you won’t be able to shake the Facel virus…

We subject each vehicle to a systematic inspection – from the body to the engine to the electrical system. Based on this, we prepare three offers. You decide which offer suits you best.

Economie – €214,000
Operating and roadworthy vehicle in authentic original condition. Ideal for enthusiasts who want to further develop their classic car themselves.

Standard – €218,000
Ready to go with all the requirements for registration in Germany – naturally with a H-certificate. Perfect for those who want to drive right away and enjoy.

Suprême – €224,000
Optimized classic car in excellent technical and visual condition, as well as with cavity and underbody protection with wax.

We would be happy to send you the details of the three offers. Or you can simply call us and we’ll explain everything to you personally.