Facel Vega FV and FVS (1954 – 1958) Review

Facel started out by building bodies for other manufacturers before going it alone in 1954 with a De Soto-engined car called the Vega. The elegant and imposing GT car was by far the most prestigious product to come out of the French car industy at the time, and it filled the vacuum left by the departure of the pre-war greats like Talbot Lago and Bugatti. It was greeted warmly by the buying public, and was soon selling steadily.

With the car fully established the company rebranded itself Facel Vega, and the car became the FV. From the original De Soto 4.5-litre V8, the 1956 FVS moved to 5.4-litre Chrysler power – and the tubular-framed chassis car boasted up to 335bhp. To rein in all that power, a brake servo was fitted in 1957, and disc brakes were offered as an option the following year. It was a simple recipe and the quality was there, as was the driving experience - but lasting success would elude its maker.