1963 Facel Vega Facel II Hardtop Coupe

There were faster sports cars, although very few, and there were more refined and luxurious saloons, but it is difficult to think of a more remarkable combination of these conflicting qualities.

This unique combination of qualities leaves the most vivid impression on everyone who drives it. The Facel II presents the driver with smoothness and silence and can cruise effortlessly at 100 miles per hour.

The acceleration can leave other fast cars far behind on every straight. Owners enjoy the latest refinements of American brute force combined with European standards of control in an environment of British luxury and French elegance.

Built by Facel Vega, one of France's most famous manufacturers of high-speed grand tourers in the Jet Age, the Facel II continued the marque's tradition of American performance coupled with French high style. It is said that to purchase this Facel, one had to abandon the head and think with the heart.

In 1959, Jean Daninos identified the need to replace the FV cars with a new, more modern look to compete with the styling that Italian marques Pininfarina, Bertone, and Touring were generating. The new car lost 4 inches in height and became 6 inches longer to present a new look to compete with Aston's DB4 and the larger Grande Touring styles of Lancia and Alfa Romeo. Auto industry writers of the day called the Facel II Facel Vega's finest design and most refined creation to date.