Miguel Sánchez
Like other automotive initiatives related to the high range, the French company's career Facel Vega It had excellence in its design only equal to the inefficiency in its accounts. A paradox responsible for limiting its existence to just a decade, generating a scarce range in which the change of suppliers added even more uncertainty to the brand's business journey.
Now, leaving aside these stories more typical of an economic weekly than a newspaper focused on historical motorsports, the truth is that with its around 2.900 units produced between 1954 and 1964 Everything related to Facel Vega is capable of arousing passions among the most knowledgeable collectors.
Not in vain, thanks to models like the Facel II or HK500 itself, its client portfolio included such high-profile names as Frank Sinatra, Stirling Moss or the Shah of Persia. Furthermore, part of the publicitary estrategy The brand's goal was precisely to facilitate access to its models for world personalities.
Something well exemplified by the form and manner in which Facel Vega sent an Excellence sedan to Ava Gadner in 1958 and, not so much, when it came to the media how the writer Albert Camus - along with his editor at the wheel - had died aboard a Facellia crashed into a tree. In short, chances, stories and anecdotes of a brand capable of putting models three times more expensive than an already expensive E-Type in dealerships.
FACEL VEGA, FROM SIMCA TO ROLLS-ROYCE
The story of Facel Vega sinks into the French industrial fabric of the 1930s. Specialized in various metallurgical productions, it reoriented its main business after the Second World War from the auxiliary industry aeronautics to automobiles.
Thus, Facel Vega became one of the main suppliers of bodies for manufacturers such as Panhard or Simca. In fact, the signing of a lucrative contract with the latter - in which the production of up to 45.000 bodies– provided Facel Vega with the necessary capital to start with his own stamp in motorsports.
Now, since doing it against massive manufacturers like Citroën or Renault would not make any sense - a really forceful investment is necessary if one wants to survive in the great popular motorsport series - Facel Vega set its sights on the small but stable luxury niche; an area in which the profit margin per unit could guarantee real hope of getting ahead.
In fact, those hopes went - in our opinion - too far, aiming for a competition with the very same Rolls-Royce thanks to some truly remarkable craftsmanship finishes along with the power and smoothness delivered by the V8 blocks supplied by Chrysler in the United States.
AN AUTHENTIC 2+2 COUPÉ
Since competition always has to be done with a certain differentiating touch within the similarity, Face Vega compared to other high-end manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce was to prioritize coupe bodies with cabin 2+2 compared to the most classic and stately sedans.
Having said this and starting to philosophize - excuse us, writing about cars is not as vibrant as testing them, so boredom can assail the editor in the solitude of his work table - the Facel Vega could well have represented what should never have been stopped representing Bentley and, in fact, some time later he did it again: being the reverse "sport” by Rolls-Royce.
And, although we are not talking about a sports car at all - the weight of the HK500 dangerously exceeds 1.600 kilos - the truth is that from its coupe body to the 360 HP at 5.200 rpm of its V8 with 5.9 liters Everything in this car gives a clearly energetic or, at least, powerful performance point.
Two similar words but not at all synonymous because, after all, the Chrysler block's engine torque is delivered in a way that is as forceful as it is progressive and predictable; even more so if we take into account how the HK500 mounted a automatic transmission TorqueFlite.
That is to say, the scope of this Facel Vega is not that of the most furious GTs of its time but that of long-distance trips with constant speeds above the 160 km/hour without any problem for comfort wrapped in full luxury.
HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE
Unfortunately Facel Vega could not survive his bad accounts. To begin with, most - almost 80% - of its production had to export due to the luxury tax existing in France.
Likewise, the cheaper models that have appeared in recent years have not helped much either; First, because they devalued the most exclusive blatantly copying its appearance and, secondly, due to the bad reputation of its terrible first engine designed by Facel Vega herself. Unfortunately, replaced very late by another one made by Volvo.
With all this, models such as the imposing HK500 had a short life as well as a brief production. Qualities that, together with the charms inherent to the vehicle, increase its price in the current classic market.
Luckily, despite everything, there is a certain type of collector with a taste for the exquisite beyond what is known or unknown about the emblem located on top of the hood. Clearly a highly notable historical vehicle.
Images: RM Sotheby's
