Who has heard of the Facel Vega?

[bushmaster1313]

I just saw this while surfing the Web.
Never heard of it.

This Vega II was first owned by Ringo Starr:

 

[dswancutt]

I think I first saw one in Special Interest Autos back in the 70's when I was a wee car crazy kit.

 

[Bat Guano]

Hey, I had one on a bubble gum card once.

Don't tell me--that card is probably worth a fortune now, right?

BTW--who is this Ringo Starr character?

 

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

I saw an earlier model that what is in the photo here in Honolulu.

Did it have a Chrysler V-8 as power plant?

 

[Marshwheeling]

The Facel Vega was often mentioned in Road and Track in the early sixties. It was not a well-known marque even then. Although it was often mentioned in the same breath as ferrari, Maserati and Aston Martin, it was more of a coachbuilder's special than a true exotic, and had a fairly mundane powerplant and running gear, as i recall.

I thought the styling recalled the Edsel. There was nothing about the Facel Vega that ever made me want one.

 

[Salty RI]

I wonder if it cost more than a Chevy Vega.

 

[yaktamer]

I wonder if it cost more than a Chevy Vega.

With or without the cylinder liners?

 

[usm1rifle]

I wonder if it cost more than a Chevy Vega.

I believe it was 3-4 times the cost of a Chevrolet Vega.

 

[Llando88]

I believe it was 3-4 times the cost of a Chevrolet Vega.

Not if you count the cases of oil you needed to keep a Chevy Vega on the road.

 

[italiansport]

A notable owner of one of these French produced cars was Frank Sinatra and also Dean Martin.
These were mostly Chrysler hemi powered and quality problems drove them out of business. I haven't seen one come up for auction lately.
Jim

 

[glenncal1]

Look at the Iso cars from the same era, the Italian version.

 

[rustythread]

Almost bought one once, a then 10-yr-old 1956 model. Problem was, it was in Germany, and I couldn't get re-import arranged in time. It was all-Chrysler under the handmade body. Gorgeous car.

 

[Watchdog]

I thought the styling recalled the Edsel. There was nothing about the Facel Vega that ever made me want one.

That front end treatment definitely looked cobbled together from a couple of American brands. Like the Edsel center grille and the Pontiac split grille.

 

[gaucho1]

Odd.......both elegant and frumpy......like an old diva
wearing a silk dress

Perfect choice for Ringo..........

 

[OFT II]

That homely looking thing needs some tail fins and a set of flipper hubcaps.

 

[glenncal1]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct...sJNpHcPfaNBa3QwiOjxe58MQ&ust=1447538297052558

 

[meaneyedcatz]

From the looks of it should it be called the FECAL VEGA?

I'm sorry, that was gross

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Sounds like an airbrush artist for Playboy magazine.

 

[R. G. Amos]

I am constantly amazed at some of the things I see on this forum. In the very early 1960's I had a friend that owned one of these. He said that it was the actual car that won the Monte Carlo rally in 1957 I believe. It had "Monte Carlo" painted on the boot cover. Considering the styling of its contemporaries, it was not an unattractive car at the time. I believe it was made in France. He was particularly impressed with the diameter of the fuel line.

 

[jag312]

Europe in general, and Italy in particular, have made some very distinctive cars that were totally unlike Detroit Iron. Examples are OSCA, Aston Martin with Allemano body, ISO Grifo, and Lancia Zagato. Usually only the most demented American car nuts will have ever heard of them.