Footnotes

In its relatively short life, the French firm of Facel produced approximately 2,900 cars, all of which were stylish, luxurious and fast. At the very pinnacle of these was the Excellence: a glamorous, high-performance and extremely expensive luxury saloon that cost almost 4,000,000 francs, or roughly as much as four Citroën DS saloons. Facel's only four-door model, the Excellence was based on a lengthened Vega chassis and featured striking, low-slung, pillar-less coachwork, the rear 'suicide' doors being hinged at the back. After the first ten-or-so cars had been completed with Chrysler's legendary high-performance 392ci (6.4-litre) 'Hemi' V8 engine, the succeeding versions were equipped with the 361ci (5.9-litre) 'Wedge' unit, production of the 'Hemi' having ceased. There was a choice of either the Pont-à-Mousson four-speed manual gearbox or Chrysler Torqueflite automatic transmission, and as time progressed the Excellence could be ordered with options such as power-assisted steering, power brakes, air conditioning and electric windows. The beautiful leather-trimmed interior was always lavishly appointed and featured a vanity kit housed in a compartment at the back of the centre armrest.

With a maximum of 360 horsepower on tap, the first 'EX' Series Excellence was arguably the fastest of the three series produced, notwithstanding the equal or higher outputs claimed for its successors. Produced between 1958 and 1961, the 'EX1' Excellences are the most successful with 137 built. Late examples incorporate nearly all of the advances generally associated with the successor 'EX2' version, including chassis and steering upgrades and a less exaggerated wraparound windscreen. Production of the Excellence ceased in June 1964 after only 156 of these magnificent automobiles had been made, by far the greater majority belonging to the 'EX1' Series.

Delivered new to Switzerland, this rare Facel Vega Excellence was originally fished in black with a beige leather interior, and left the factory equipped with the optional automatic gearbox, tinted glass and air conditioning. The car was purchased by the current owner from Movendi of Düsseldorf on 23rd June 208 and comes with the a copy of the bill of sale; copies of old Dutch and Swiss registration papers; and a printout of the factory records. This Facel Vega is an interesting and rare example in solid condition with a fully original interior. The car would benefit from a complete mechanical overhaul and work inside is needed to return this car to its former glory. Please note import taxes will be liable if the car is to remain in the EU.