FACEL

From 1955 to 1965

Facel III

Jean Daninos, brother of the writer Pierre Daninos, famous creator of the Forges et Ateliers de construction d'Eure et Loir (FACEL), already worked before the war in the field of aeronautical parts and tools. His experience came from his youth in the bodywork department of the quai de javel, Chez Citroën. During the Second World War, he participated largely in the design of gas generating systems, an alternative to the lack of fuel. It will be converted after the war into the production of stamped parts for various popular brands, by joining forces with Métallon's know-how. His first contract was for an agreement with Panhard, and from 1946 he delivered Dyna cases. Then, he collaborated with Simca, signing "special" bodywork, such as the "weekend" convertible and the city coupe, and until 1962, the Océane convertible, or the Plein Ciel coupe. But his fame as a designer was exerted on the Ford Comète in 1951, which already had characteristic features of his future Vegas, features that he refined and further defined with a Bentley Continental coupé special-edition, through the intermediary of Pinin Farina.

At the beginning of the 1950s, assisting the death of the great French classics, Delage, Delahaye, Bugatti, he decided to fill this void with one of his own productions. A high performance luxury car. But unlike the dinosaurs he claims to replace, Daninos does not intend to make the reputation of his cars by running for the laurels of the competition. Their qualities alone should suffice. He had in mind the faults and limitations of these great brands and doubted how to proceed to adapt to this new era. Known as a crate maker thanks to his sheet steel presses, he designed a body of great elegance for a special Bentley Continental, which to many is a brilliant draft of the Vega.

In 1954, Daninos fully intended to compete with this brand, as well as - why not - the unmistakable Rolls-Royce and the excellent top-of-the-range Mercedes. It thus presents the "Véga", name intended for a future star of the asphalt - and a car of celebrities. Built in steel on an extremely solid tubular frame, the first FV1 series propels its 1500 kgs thanks to an American V8, a Chrysler Fireflite 4.5 liters. No engine in France did indeed meet his expectations, and the American reliability associated with the design economy of such an engine quickly convinced him. However, to meet European standards and tastes, he added a Pont-à-Mousson gearbox and transmission. This very fast car is also very well finished, far from the French standards of the time, but faithful to the objectives it had set for itself. Among the judicious and original finds is the use of stainless steel instead of chrome, the mufflers integrated into the fender bumpers framing the trunk, a very skillfully painted and varnished wood panel.

The very recognizable front end is rather British-inspired (Bentley and Alvis in their sights), but the general style is rather inspired by creations from across the Atlantic, less excess. This "American" style will also be quite evident in the "Excellence" series of limousines. But their high beltline, their luxury and their speed keep them irreparably away. On the other hand, Daninos will export more Facel-Véga than it will sell in France, in particular in the USA where the adoption of a local propulsion is a considerable advantage. Until 1964-65, the very expensive Facel-Véga enjoyed immense prestige abroad, where they are readily assimilated and compared to the most famous brands.

The first FV series saw a succession of small series until 1958, the FV1, 2, 3, 4 and the sporty FVS, equipped with increasingly powerful mechanics: From the V8 Chrysler 4.5 liters of 200 hp we go to 5 liters of 250 hp in 1956. But in 1958 was born one of Facel's flagship models, the HK 500, equipped with a new chassis, a new more spacious body and an enormous 6.2 liters developing 360 hp. The success is immediate. These cars, as fast on the highways as the best Ferraris, far exceed the performance of a Bentley Continental. Daninos sees the triumph of his ideas. At the same time, he developed the Excellence limousine in three series, Ex, Ex1 and Ex2, equipped with the same engine and side doors opening in cantilever, as well as a side window without uprights. In 1962 appears the best and most successful of all its models, the Facel II, which directly succeeds the HK 500: It is officially known as HK2. It will be by far the most formidable of all, with a new body very sharp, augulous and nevertheless still as elegant, provided with the monstrous Chrysler 6.3 liters developing 390 hp.

To overcome the criticisms (especially French) of the use of a foreign engine, he launched the study, through Pont-à-mousson of a 4-cylinder 1600 cm3 with 2 ACT, which he will graft in 1960 on the small Facellia. We know what will happen to such a decision. The Facellia, a small modern and affordable sports car, comparable to the MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey, will indeed suffer from too many flaws in its youthful engine. Long-awaited, this novelty therefore turns out to be a bitter failure: The rate of replacement under warranty of its Facellia is such that it endangers the finances of the firm. Throwing in the towel three years later, Daninos authoritatively fitted it with a Volvo 4-cylinder, then the Austin-Healey 6-cylinder on the models which followed it in 1963 and 1964, the Facel-Véga. III and VI. But this is the end of the reputation and especially of the cash position of Facel, which filed for bankruptcy in 1964.

No French brand has ever replaced this shooting star, and its very memory has now almost faded from the memory of the man in the street. It remains to be hoped that a concept car will revive it in a future show, just like the Bugatti, the Hispano-Suiza, the Maybach.



At the end of all this... Is there a place for a new Facel ?

As it was said for the Delahaye 335, France does not currently have a real GT brand. There are many small manufacturers, but specialized either in replicas or in small exclusive sports cars. We can mention Hommel, always valiant, PGO and his new Porsche speedsters, De la Chapelle, his replicas of Bugatti and his elegant roadster, De Clerq and his very nostalgic roadsters, Venturi and the new Fétish. Small panel of small builders still on borrowed time, especially when French Ayathollesque approval gets involved. Nothing can be compared with a Ferrari, a Maserati, a Jaguar, a Porsche, an Aston-Martin... But Facel-Véga, because of its relatively recent appearance (1956-65), and... shooting, would be a good position in terms of France's return to the international scene for real GTs. Because with this brand it benefited from one of the most prestigious heritages. The Facel II was in its day one of the four or five best GTs on the planet. She shared her idea with British and Italian production, namely the marriage of a big American V8, solid and torquey, with a light European structure, and the good taste that accompanies it.




We could cite contemporary brands such as Jensen or Iso-Rivolta, Facel borrowing its blocks from Chrysler, since the 300 M, renowned for its very fast coupes. Facel, as we know, is the acronym for the forges and workshops of Eure et Loir, taken over after the war by Jean Daninos, the writer's brother. Company specializing in the stamping of sheet metal, bodywork of special series, well assisted by the designer talent of its boss, had already given itself a good reputation in France and abroad. With the Bentley, in 1954 he signed one of his most beautiful masterpieces of sober fluidity and elegance, demonstrating that French bodywork was not limited to the baroque splendor of the 1930s. Then the idea came quite naturally to him, noting the disappearance of the "dinosaurs", the Bugatti, Talbot, Delage and Delahaye, to design his own luxury GT using modern methods. Noting the existence of small blocks 4-Cylinders modern but too modest within the mass production, he decides rightly to borrow from Chrysler its V8, and to adapt it to a slender body of coupe, of construction very robust and treated with the greatest luxury. The rise of its Facels will follow that of the first American "muscle cars".




From the outset its FV convinces, despite its price which puts it out of reach of the greatest number, immediately making people cringe. It is two or three times more expensive than the Citroën DS. And will export very well from the start. What a GT indeed... The Facel-Vega is a particularly fast and very comfortable 2+2 sports car, with one of the most modern and complete dashboards there is, combining leather and painted wood. The series reached its climax with the HK500, which now reached 400hp, and was faster than the majority of "luxury" GTs of the time. Only the best can compare to her. Of course, its “American” style is criticized, as is its engine, which will lead Daninos to consider diversifying downwards with a small roadster in the spirit of what is being done across the Channel. It will be a disaster that will lead Facel-Vega to ruin. The only thing that remains as an immortal icon, a star in fact, is the Facel II and its particularly original design, emerging from Yankee-style gimmicks to enter the realm of European art.

The Facel-Véga are still currently the most prestigious French GTs, the most cited, the most highly rated on the second-hand market. It was a no-fault if Daninos had given up on launching its Facellia on the market, equipped with its small 4-cylinder Pont-à-mousson. Currently, the birth of this brand would fill a gaping void left to BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Aston-Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, Bentley, Maserati... France, the second European economic power, leaves its French buyers, out of spite, to turn abroad, and this since...1965. Because in truth, neither the Alpine nor the Venturi were luxury GTs, therefore comparable. The relevance of a Facel-Véga, a less risky project than a creation starting from nothing, would therefore be obvious in the 21st century.

From the outset its FV convinces, despite its price which puts it out of reach of the greatest number, immediately making people cringe. It is two or three times more expensive than the Citroën DS. And will export very well from the start. What a GT indeed... The Facel-Vega is a particularly fast and very comfortable 2+2 sports car, with one of the most modern and complete dashboards there is, combining leather and painted wood. The series reached its climax with the HK500, which now reached 400hp, and was faster than the majority of "luxury" GTs of the time. Only the best can compare to her. Of course, its “American” style is criticized, as is its engine, which will lead Daninos to consider diversifying downwards with a small roadster in the spirit of what is being done across the Channel. It will be a disaster that will lead Facel-Vega to ruin. The only thing that remains as an immortal icon, a star in fact, is the Facel II and its particularly original design, emerging from Yankee-style gimmicks to enter the realm of European art.

The Facel-Véga are still currently the most prestigious French GTs, the most cited, the most highly rated on the second-hand market. It was a no-fault if Daninos had given up on launching its Facellia on the market, equipped with its small 4-cylinder Pont-à-mousson. Currently, the birth of this brand would fill a gaping void left to BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Aston-Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, Bentley, Maserati... France, the second European economic power, leaves its French buyers, out of spite, to turn abroad, and this since...1965. Because in truth, neither the Alpine nor the Venturi were luxury GTs, therefore comparable. The relevance of a Facel-Véga, a less risky project than a creation starting from nothing, would therefore be obvious in the 21st century.

The principle being established, which Facel to build? -Unquestionably the one with the best image, namely the Facel II, which moreover might not have survived the energy crisis. A model inspired by the Facel II would also have the advantage of having a style very much in tune with the latest “hard” trends in Edge-Design, the “Shapedesign” dear to Cadillac. But the style tests conducted so far have been for the HK500 like the Facel II. This Facel would undoubtedly be named like its "Vega" ancestor, knowing that the name of stars is an interesting vein of personalization. Why not an "Altair" concept car, that sounds good. But the "Vega" remains the most famous anyway, and we are then faced with the need to give it a title, which, in the context of a continuation fiction, would give 'Facel VIII', logically, but it would also recall the inglorious end of this firm. By naming it "Facel III", we refer more directly to the continuation of the Facel II, the best, but purists would not appreciate a direct reference to the real model Facel III which was not a success.So we can still call it "Facel GT".That does not mean much in terms of historical continuation, but sounds like a dynamic dusting, not an exhumation.

Technically, the ideal would be to marry once again a tubular structure and an aluminum body, expensive, but efficient and prestigious, the Facel GT remaining a 2+2 coupé. In terms of style, a line inspired by the original model with variants and indices that are constant (see below), and in terms of transmission, aluminum allows the installation of an all-wheel drive, active safety feature, although purists would prefer rear-wheel drive. However, all-wheel drive is a heavy device, affecting performance, so the choice depends on the engine. In this matter, the problem still arises in the same terms as at the time: A French engine? We are still at 4-cylinders, and the V6s that exist are condemned not to exceed 245 hp in the best of cases. The ideal solution would be to start from this block as a base, to increase the engine capacity to 4.5 liters and to add two turbos to it, because in any case, to maintain its rank, the Facel GT would need to go from 0 to 100 Km/h in 4.5 seconds and to reach a maximum of 300 km/h without clamping.

In view of its potential dimensions (see below), its weight thanks to the aluminum should be around 1300 kg empty. With this last engine system, we can hope to have 400 hp. But purists will prefer a V8, which for lack of a real high-end French project, refers either to American or Germanic productions. A V8 like the one in the Dodge Ram would be torquey, but you could even use the V10 in the Dodge SRT10. This would have real advantages for marketing in the USA, although this engine fits badly with the distinguished image of the Facel. A Mercedes engine, would have for it an almost superior prestige in the USA while having in Europe a perfect image, our hexagonal self-esteem had to suffer from it. However, this would still be an imperfect solution. There would be other solutions, such as producing a V8 from two 4-cylinder 16-valve blocks joined together, the displacement increased to 4 liters. In the matter, and without turbo, one would approach the 400 cv without problem.

In terms of style, some elements are to be remembered, others to be mentioned and others to be banned. Thus, the grille is definitely an essential and decisive style element. It is advisable to find the central radiator framed by two others in "moustache" separated transversely by a chrome rod, as well as the vertical headlights, which thanks to the progress of xenon could be found on two thin strips on the front fenders. The characteristic digging of the bonnet and its air intake are also unavoidable. As for the huge original stainless steel bumper, it testifies to an era, but would find a more distinguished application by being present in the form of chrome strips on the real bumper in the colors of the bodywork. Chrome rods which could also be found at the rear, integrating both turn signal reminders. At the rear, the receding cutout of the trunk around two barely accentuated wings should be taken up, the great originality residing in the presence of two exhaust pipes integrated into the bottom of these wings. This element must be taken back at all costs.




The rear headlights would be integrated on the edge of the fenders, themselves with a beveled shape. On its general profile, the Facel is fairly classic, with a short front overhang and a long rear, and two characteristic style elements should be avoided: The very low sill precisely, made of a huge sheet of stainless steel, which would no longer find its place on an efficiently profiled sill. Similarly, the characteristic cutout of the wheel arches, profiled towards the rear, can only be evoked by bulges or hollows in the bodywork, but the effect would not be the happiest. For the design of the side, the curves of origins would be crossbred with a broken wing running from the birth of the hood to the wings, edge design obliges, and the design of the quarter window, tapered like an opinel.

However, unlike the Facel II, I am attached to a rounded pavilion, because in the collective unconscious it remains more protective, safety being an element sought by customers capable of affording a GT of this rank. Which brings us to financial considerations, as well as interior finishes. Unless you find a brilliant craftsman, painting the faux-wood dashboard is incompatible with mass production to current standards. Real varnished wood of the best species would therefore be more conventional but also more pragmatic. I personally lean towards a French equivalent of the elm burl, warm and aristocratic. As for leather, this country of breeders capable of giving the equivalent of Connolly, or I despair of being French. In the end, the Facel GT should be around 120,000 Euros... This is only a projection of the production cost ratio and its equivalent of the 60s...

Models

  • FVS
  • FV3/4
  • HK 500
  • FACEL II
  • Excellence
  • Facellia
  • Facel III
  • Facel VI

FACEL-VEGA FVS (1956)


Sporting evolution of the FV series, the FVS is the most powerful available in 1956. It is already a legend.

Characteristics: Type: Coupe 2 + 2 places.
Propulsion: Longitudinal front engine - rear transmission.
Dimensions: Length: 4570 mm
Width: 1760 mm
Height: 1360 mm
Wheelbase: 2630 mm
Weight: 1640 Kgs.
Engine: 8 cylinders in V, 16 valves 4.9 Liters, 2 ACT, 325 hp DIN @ 5200RPM.
Units produced: 490
Price: (at the time): 54,000 Frs.
Performance: 0-100 Km / h: 8.2 sec. ; 1000 D.A .:; Max speed: 230 Km / h.
The Facel-Véga series began in 1954 with the FV, stylistically very close to the special Bentley bodied by Daninos shortly before. Production then remained confidential with the first FV1 series, gradually increasing from 203 to 250hp. Then customer demand and the exemplary robustness of its chassis helping, the FV2 series will be equipped with the Chrysler 5.4 liters of 250hp, then the sporty version FVS, (for "sport"), equipped with the same thrust at 325hp thanks to the choice of its carburetors.

FACEL-VEGA HK500 (1958)


Iconic model of the Daninos style, the powerful HK500 sported a lowered body to better stabilize at high speed.

Characteristics:
Type: Coupe 2 + 2 places.
Propulsion: Longitudinal front engine - rear transmission.
Dimensions: Length: 4750 mm
Width: 1700 mm
Height: 1300 mm
Wheelbase: 2667 mm
Weight: 1650 Kgs.
Engine: 8 cylinders in V, 16 valves 6.2 Liters, 2 ACT, 360 hp DIN @ 5200RPM.
Units produced: 490
Price: (at the time): 54,000 Frs.
Performance: 0-100 Km/h: 8.8 sec. ; 1000 D.A .:; Max speed: 240 Km/h.
Of all the Facels built, the HK 500 remain the most memorable. More spacious than the previous FV1 to 4, they were also the most efficient of all, especially in the version equipped with a 390hp V8. Never had such a cavalry been seen on a European sports car that is not a Ferrari or a racing car. The HK500 offered what the latter could not offer, a level of luxury and comfort unmatched for a Frenchwoman, on a level equivalent to the Bentley or Rolls-Royce, much heavier. Their performances remained legendary. Their American style with a low body sporting stainless steel was most balanced and elegant. Produced until 1961, replaced by the Facel II, it was the best-selling of the "big" Facels.

FACEL-VEGA FACEL II (1962)


Sporting a more angular style but of remarkable elegance, the Facel II is considered to be the masterpiece of Jean Daninos.

Characteristics:
Type: Coupe 2 + 2 places.
Propulsion: Longitudinal front engine - rear transmission.
Dimensions: Length: 4750 mm
Width: 1700 mm
Height: 1280 mm
Wheelbase: 2670 mm
Weight: 1680 Kgs.
Engine: 8 cylinders in V, 16 valves 6.3 Liters, 2 ACT, 390 hp DIN @ 5400RPM. and 58 M/kg.
Units produced: 184
Price: (at the time): 55,000 Frs.
Performance: 0-100 Km/h: 8.3 sec. ; 1000 D.A .:; Max speed: 245 Km/h.
The Facel II, more officially called HK2, was to be the last big Facel-Véga, the only one to sport the most powerful engine of the sixties, reserved in the USA for the heavy ancestors of muscle cars, large highway coupes. Much lighter and lower than these, the HK2 had a new, more angular original roof line and a luxury far beyond what had been seen in France. Its heavy weight and in general its structure, solid as it is with its large welded steel tubes of almost 10 cm in diameter, did not have the driving pleasure of a small sportswoman, being reserved especially for the prodigious. motorway acceleration, an area in which it had no equivalent European rival at the time. Born with the most disastrous Facellia, it evokes the best of what France has produced in terms of prestige GT.

FACEL-VEGA EXCELLENCE (1958)


Contemporary of the HK500, the Limousine Excellence was at odds with what was being done in France at the time.

Characteristics:
Type: 4/5 seater sedan.
Propulsion: Longitudinal front engine - rear transmission.
Dimensions: Length: 5250 mm
Width: 1830 mm
Height: 1372 mm
Wheelbase: 3170 mm
Weight: 1920 Kgs.
Engine: 8 cylinders in V, 16 valves 5.9 Liters, 2 ACT, 360 DIN hp/5200 rpm. and 543 NM/3600 RPM.
Units produced: -
Price: (at the time): 60,000 Frs.
Performance: 0-100 Km / h: 7.8 sec. ; 1000 D.A .:; Max speed: 220 Km / h.
The Excellence remained the only four-door model in the range. Like Jaguar or Maserati, Daninos believed there was room in France for a sporty luxury sedan. Based on the extended chassis of the Facel HK500, and equipped with the 5.9-liter Firedome V8, it could indeed boast of being the fastest of its time. Later, the Jaguars will be satisfied with V6 of 220 hp and Maserati of V8 of 290 hp. It was far faster than its chrome overloaded American counterparts. Much more expensive and elitist than a DS19, it represented the quintessence of the brand's know-how and was intended for princes, stars and statesmen. Its large rear quarter opening without center pillar, like what is done across the Channel, was particularly appreciated, as were the doors with opposite opening. Designed with the same robust tubular chassis dressed in aluminum and stainless steel, a body style preserved, with wings framing the trunk more aggressive, and a particularly neat finish, it is the French Rolls-Royce of the time. But unfortunately for its potential notoriety, De Gaulle, convinced Citroënist, never made a presidential car. Rare on our roads (your servant recently crossed paths in Amboise), it is easily confused by its style, its noise and its size with a large American limousine. Little sold, it followed the fall of the firm in 1965.

FACEL-VEGA Facellia (1959)


First "little" Facel, she will have the fatal fate of being the cause of the disappearance of the brand.

Characteristics:
Type: Coupé / Cabriolet 2 places.
Propulsion: Longitudinal front engine - rear transmission.
Dimensions: Length: 4153 mm
Width: 1626 mm
Height: 1257 mm
Wheelbase: 2451 mm
Weight: 1143 Kgs.
Engine: 4 cylinders in line, 8 valves 1.6 Liters, 2 ACT, 115 hp DIN/6400 rpm.
Units produced: 1258
Price: (at the time): -
Performance: 0-100 Km/h: 11 sec. ; 1000 D.A .:; Max speed: 171 Km/h.
Jean Daninos was successful in 1957 with his GT FV series. Orders poured in, notoriety increased. The brand had forged a unique personality of its kind, and remarkable performances on the continent. But the price displayed by these exceptional cars intended them for the happy few of the time. Following the lead of Jaguar, Alfa-Romeo, Lancia and Triumph, MG and Austin-Healey, and fully hearing the criticisms of using large American V8s instead of a house mechanic, Daninos considered s 'open up to the popular sports market, little contested in France at the time. He was virtually certain to make profitable his research because of the excellent reputation enjoyed by the brand at the time. But as there again, stumbled, on the question of the engine he realized that even pushed, no block built in the hexagon was enough for him, he turned to his main mechanical supplier, Pont à Mousson, who had brilliantly adapted so far. there on the Chrysler V8 couplings a manual gearbox coupled with a transmission more in line with the sportiness of European GTs. The latter had carte blanche to work on a 4-cylinder that could have become the start of a great adventure. However, the design and testing are laborious, the planning is behind schedule. Announced, postponed and finally revealed in 1959, the Facellia therefore carries Facel's new ambitions. The French and international press are enthusiastic, curiosity is in order. The 4-cylinder, voluntary, climbs high in the towers, promises beautiful sensations, but is hollow at low speed. the benefits are a little disappointing. We forgive him for releasing what we consider to be the first in a long series of engines. Daninos rightly thinks that he will also be able to merge two of them into a single 8-cylinder block, to power his future GTs, including the replacement for the Facel II.

Incidentally, Facel-Véga, concerned about service and well served until then by the indestructible Chrysler engines, proposed in the event of failure to replace the faulty model with an equivalent. So far the problem has not arisen, due to the coupes of the FV and then HK series, of relative reliability and restricted distribution. However, it is no longer the same with the Facellia. The latter, although still relatively inexpensive is selling well, and many customers complain about the unreliability and fragility of the small Pont à Mousson block. Replacements are therefore carried out, but soon at a catastrophic rate. However, it is too late to rethink the engine used: The Facellia was discontinued in 1962. Daninos tried to replace it with the facel III, of the same size but offering two additional seats, then the facel VI, with a six-cylinder. These last-minute efforts were unsuccessful, and sales in free fall condemned the company to close its doors, for lack of a providential takeover, in 1965.

FACEL-VEGA Facel III (1961)




This second "small" Facel model after the Facellia corrected its biggest flaw: Its engine. Characteristics: Type: Coupé/Cabriolet 2 + 2 places.
Propulsion: Longitudinal front engine - rear transmission.
Dimensions: Length: 4153 mm
Width: 1562 mm
Height: 1270 mm
Wheelbase: 2464 mm
Weight: 1089 Kgs.
Engine: 4 cylinders in line, 8 valves 1.8 Liters, 2 ACT, 108 hp DIN/5800 rpm.
Units produced: 619
Price: (at the time): -
Performance: 0-100 Km/h: 8 sec. ; 1000 D.A .:; Max speed: 185 Km/h.
The Facellia that came out in 1960 carried one of the brand's great hopes: To get out of the elitist shackles of luxury GTs to become more democratic. And to silence criticism of the engine, Daninos called on its gearbox and transmission supplier, Pont à Mousson. We remember this bitter failure. Far from being reliable, this engine, added to the ruinous replacement system provided by the brand, has plunged into the red. In order to get out of it quickly, Daninos ordered a more habitable model equipped with an engine temporarily from another brand. It is on Volvo, after testing, that his sights are set. On an identical wheelbase and a practically unchanged structure, the transplantation gives the Facel III, officially launched in 1961. The latter will try to get Facel out of the abyss. We criticize this time the lack of power of this engine, which makes this Facel, not particularly cheap, a disadvantaged model facing the Competition, Porsche 911, MG, and Austin-Healey in the lead.

FACEL-VEGA Facel VI (1964)


The last Facel built by the factory, it was supposed to help save the firm from bankruptcy. We know the rest.

Characteristics:
Type: Coupé 2 + 2/Cabriolet 2 places.
Propulsion: Longitudinal front engine - rear transmission.
Dimensions: Length: 4153 mm
Width: 1562 mm
Height: 1270 mm
Wheelbase: 2464 mm
Weight: 1180 Kgs.
Engine: 6 cylinders in line, 12 valves 2.8 Liters, 2 ACT, 155 hp DIN/5240 rpm.
Units produced: 42
Price: (at the time): -
Performance: 0-100 Km/h: 9 sec.; 1000 D.A .:; Max speed: 200 Km/h.
After the failure of the Facellia and the failure of the Facel III, for lack of an efficient engine although this time very reliable, Daninos considered installing an intermediate engine on the reinforced chassis of the Facel III. He appealed, failing to find what he needed in France, a brilliant, sharp and capricious BMC mechanics, the six-cylinder Austin Healey 3000, the legendary "Big Healey". Thanks to this transplant, Daninos managed to restore the trend somewhat. The very assertive sporting character made the Facel VI a real Facel II in reduction. Much more affordable than the latter, it had to get the firm out of the rut but arrived too late. A few months later, everything was consumed.