The Facel name is relatively unknown outside of the geeky classic car world these days, but back in the 1950s and 1960s the French brand’s cars, like the Facel II, were sought out by movie actors, rock stars and off-duty racing drivers.
After WW2, Forges et Ateliers de Constructions d’Eure-et-Loire (Facel) built a solid business providing stylish car bodies to established automakers before launching its own luxury coupe in 1954. With its experience of crafting beautiful coachwork, Facel had not trouble dreaming up and building an elegant shell for its new Vega, but next came the question of how to give it the power to match its imposing design.
Related: Facel Vega Making A Comeback? Maybe, But Things Are Certainly Strange
France’s killjoy post-war tax system meant most French cars were about as muscular as the models in Paris fashion week, which meant that calling on Peugeot or Citroen wasn’t an option. So Facel did what so many small volume European GT-builders would do over the next 15 years or so: shipped a load of V8s over from America. In Facel’s case, those V8s came from Chrysler and endowed the Facel Vega HK500 with up to 335 hp (340 PS) gross, which is probably a solid 280 horses in modern money.
The HK500 is arguably Facel’s most famous car, but the lower, sleeker Facel II that followed was even more elegant. The car pictured here, though, is definitely a case of faded glory. Supplied to its first owner in Switzerland in May 1962, this Facel II is one of just 180 made, has been on static display for many years, and would need a fairly comprehensive restoration inside and out if you wanted to return it to top condition.
But Bonhams, which is auctioning the Facel at its Monaco sale on May 13 without reserve, says there’s evidence in the history to say that it was in good running condition not too many years ago. So maybe the next owner might choose to simply get the car to a safe drivable condition and leave the paintwork and leather interior’s appealing patina as they find it, and be reminded every time they slip behind the wheel that there was a time when exotic cars weren’t pumped out in their thousands from hi-tech factories, but crafted by hand in their hundreds, guaranteeing real exclusivity.
Unfortunately for Facel, its cars proved rather too exclusive, and combined with a disastrous attempt to sell a small four-cylinder sports car, the Facellia, powered by an unreliable engine of the company’s own design, Facel shut its doors in 1964. If you’d like to open the garage door to this one, Bonhams estimates it will sell for €160,000-180,000 ($168,000-189,000).
