1963 Facel Vega Facel II (Type HK2)
The Facel Vega 'Facel II' was a French Grand Touring car produced by Facel between the years 1962 and 1964.
By 1962 the Paris-based Facel Vega company was facing bankruptcy. The Facel II was to be the company's last attempt to create a luxury GT car in the French tradition. Jean Daninos, Facel's founder and president, said of the Facel II, "The HK 500 was the most interesting car we ever made but the Facel II was by far the best. It was totally 'elegant' .
It was powered by an American 6.3 litre (383 cu.in.) Chrysler 'Typhoon' engine which produced 355 hp (265 kW) in automatic-gearbox form and 390 hp (291 kW) in manual. Using Chrysler's three-speed Torqueflite automatic gearbox, the 6.3-litre Facel II could reach over 135 mph (225 km/h). With a French Pont-a-Mousson four-speed manual gearbox the full-four-seater 6.3 litre Facel II could attain over 150 mph (247 km/h)[6] and out-accelerate its two-seater rivals, the Aston Martin DB4, Ferrari 250 GT and 'gull-wing' Mercedes-Benz 300SL, to 60 mph (97 km/h) and all except the Ferrari to 100 mph (160 km/h). Dunlop disc brakes were fitted on all four wheels and Hydrosteer power steering, leather seats, electric windows and radio aerial all became standard during the production run, with Armstrong Selecta-Ride shock-absorbers adjustable from the dash while driving fitted to the right-hand-drive British models. The curvaceous wrap-round dash was in fact metal but meticulously painted to look like wood. Many of the controls were airplane inspired. The later manuals were fitted with the even more powerful 6.7 litre (413 cu.in.) Chrysler "RB" wedge engine and were faster still.
By 1962 the Paris-based Facel Vega company was facing bankruptcy. The Facel II was to be the company's last attempt to create a luxury GT car in the French tradition. Jean Daninos, Facel's founder and president, said of the Facel II, "The HK 500 was the most interesting car we ever made but the Facel II was by far the best. It was totally 'elegant' .
It was powered by an American 6.3 litre (383 cu.in.) Chrysler 'Typhoon' engine which produced 355 hp (265 kW) in automatic-gearbox form and 390 hp (291 kW) in manual. Using Chrysler's three-speed Torqueflite automatic gearbox, the 6.3-litre Facel II could reach over 135 mph (225 km/h). With a French Pont-a-Mousson four-speed manual gearbox the full-four-seater 6.3 litre Facel II could attain over 150 mph (247 km/h)[6] and out-accelerate its two-seater rivals, the Aston Martin DB4, Ferrari 250 GT and 'gull-wing' Mercedes-Benz 300SL, to 60 mph (97 km/h) and all except the Ferrari to 100 mph (160 km/h). Dunlop disc brakes were fitted on all four wheels and Hydrosteer power steering, leather seats, electric windows and radio aerial all became standard during the production run, with Armstrong Selecta-Ride shock-absorbers adjustable from the dash while driving fitted to the right-hand-drive British models. The curvaceous wrap-round dash was in fact metal but meticulously painted to look like wood. Many of the controls were airplane inspired. The later manuals were fitted with the even more powerful 6.7 litre (413 cu.in.) Chrysler "RB" wedge engine and were faster still.
