FACEL VEGA Excellence SÉRIE 1 1961 Collection Francis Staub

Lot 125
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Estimation :
100000 - 150000 EUR
FACEL VEGA Excellence SÉRIE 1 1961 Collection Francis Staub
Only 153 built Fine condition, original air-conditioning Rare original Carrera green colour French registration papers Chassis number: EX1 B125 In the history of the car, the Facel Vega Excellence has a special place, for at least three reasons. On account of its make, first of all, which was a shooting star in the firmament of the French car industry. Its founder, Jean Daninos, succeeded in 1954 in launching a French luxury car brand, at a time when the country had lost all its great makes. The second reason was its bodywork: a sleek, low-slung saloon, as luxurious as a Bentley and as fast as a Jaguar, thanks to its powerful and reliable American engine. The third reason was its rarity: between 1958 and 1964, just 145 units of the series 1 Excellence and 8 of the series 2 were built. Presented in 1956 but only available from 1958, the Excellence was set apart by its finish, a subtle mix of luxury and exclusivity: its painted dashboard with a full stack of instruments had a sporting air echoing its 6.4-litre Chrysler engine. Producing close to 400 bhp, this took the prestigious saloon up to nearly 230 kph (143 mph) and delivered acceleration which could embarrass many sports cars with a brilliant reputation. In its day, it offered a French alternative, one which was sophisticated and refined, to customers used to Bentley, Cadillac, Mercedes or Maserati. The car which we are offering is a series 1 model, which still had pointed tailfins and a panoramic windscreen, typical of the 1960s. According to the information provided by the Amicale Facel, the car was delivered new in the United States to the agent Peter Satori on 29 January 1961, finished in the unusual shade of Carrera green with a grey leather interior (ref. 3230) and fitted with the options of tinted glass with an even tint, Mitchell air-conditioning and rear heating. It returned to Europe in the 1990s and was the property of a Dutch owner from 1996 to 2003 a
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