1960 Facel Vega HK500
· The HK500 was one of the fastest four-seater cars of its time, capable of reaching a maximum speed of 150 mph.
The Facel Vega HK500, especially the 1960 model, was a luxury French car known for its elegance and performance. It was a high-class automobile that combined British luxury engineering with French style. The HK500 was powered by a 6.3-liter Chrysler V8 engine, giving it a performance comparable to American muscle cars of the era.
Founded in 1939, Facel (Forges et Ateliers des Constructions d’Eure-et-Loir) was the brainchild of Jean Daninos. After taking the reins in 1945, the Parisian-born engineer designed the Vega, which was introduced in 1954 and featured Chrysler V-8 power. Built by hand, the Vega was an expensive automobile, but proved popular among wealthy individuals who appreciated both luxury and exclusivity. Such was the impact of the model that the company was renamed Facel Vega in 1959, coinciding with the launch of the HK500, notable for its early adoption of disc brakes.
The firm transitioned to building its own automobiles in 1954 with the introduction of the Vega, a handsome and luxuriously appointed four-seater powered by a DeSoto “Hemi” V-8 before unveiling the refined HK500 in 1958. Powered by a 6.3-liter Chrysler V-8 engine mated to a three-speed Torqueflite automatic transmission, the HK500 was one of the world’s fastest cars in its day and capable of sustained cruising well north of 100 mph. In its relatively short life, the French firm of Facel manufactured a small series of hand-built automobiles still considered to be among the era’s finest, fastest, and most expensive.
Beyond its performance, the HK500 was simply a beautiful car, a true hardtop coupe that exudes power and speed even when standing still. Incredible details abound, such as the taillights partially recessed—or “Frenched,” in particularly fitting American hotrod parlance—into the rear fins. The exhaust outlets are similarly worked into the rear bumper. There was truly nothing else quite like it on the road, then or now.
With signature French flair and muscular American running gear, the Facel Vega HK500 was designed to rival the best of the era’s grand tourers, a task in which it continues to succeed today.
Although the glory did not last long after in 1960 an attempt to design a mass-produced all-French sports car to compete with Alfa Romeo. But after an extremely flawed engine attempt that could not be recovered, even by third party help the engine was scrapped. Jean Daninos the then president resigned in 1961, after the company began facing extreme financial problems. Even after attempts to fix their engine problems and restore costumer confidence the effort was far too short. Production of cars stopped in 1963, and the business lost its financial support and went under in 1964.
In its relatively short life, the French firm of Facel produced approximately 2,900 cars, all of which were stylish, luxurious and fast. Being hand built, they were, of course, necessarily very expensive – the Facel Vega HK500 was priced in Rolls-Royce territory – and were bought by the rich and famous seeking something exclusive and distinctive. The roll call of owners included royalty, politicians, diplomats and entertainers. Confirming there was also high-performance substance behind Facel's unquestionable style, they were owned and driven by great motor racing figures such as Sir Stirling Moss, Maurice Trintignant and Rob Walker.
Just 202 HK500s were built in 1960, making this example -Chassis: HK1CEC- something of a rarity. It has spent the last three decades in private high-end collections in Kuwait, and was just imported to the USA earlier this year. The entire process was completed, and the car now resides in Crownsville, MD with a clean Maryland title. I encourage inspections from serious buyers by appointment, and please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions that you may have. Deposit is non-refundable.
