Description

The Facel Vega Facellia Cabriolet was introduced in 1959 as part of Facel Vega’s bold attempt to move into the compact sports car market. Unlike the company’s larger and more powerful V8 grand tourers, the Facellia was aimed at a different audience—those looking for a stylish, high-performance European convertible with a more modest price tag.

Visually, the Facellia Cabriolet retained the design sophistication of its larger siblings. It featured clean lines, a distinctive upright grille, and refined chrome detailing. The proportions were compact and balanced, with a long hood and a relatively short rear deck. The convertible top folded neatly away, maintaining the car’s sleek profile whether raised or lowered. Its styling was distinctly French, yet with clear nods to American design elements, reflecting Facel Vega’s unique position as a Franco-American hybrid brand.

Inside, the cabin was crafted with the same attention to detail found in the company’s flagship models. The dashboard was adorned with a full set of round Jaeger gauges, toggle switches, and high-quality materials such as leather and polished metal finishes. The seating was low and sporty, though the Facellia was not as spacious as the larger HK or Excellence models.

Under the hood, the original Facellia Cabriolet was powered by a 1.6-liter twin-cam four-cylinder engine developed in-house by Facel Vega. It produced around 115 horsepower, which was respectable for the class and allowed the car to achieve a top speed of about 180 km/h (112 mph). A four-speed manual transmission provided spirited, if sometimes temperamental, performance.

Unfortunately, the in-house engine proved to be the model’s Achilles heel. Reliability issues, particularly with the valve train and cooling system, led to a high number of mechanical failures. This significantly damaged the Facellia’s reputation and placed a heavy financial burden on the company, which had to repair many engines under warranty.

Later versions of the Facellia were offered with Volvo and BMW engines to address these reliability problems, but the damage was largely done. Despite its attractive styling and enjoyable handling, the Facellia never achieved commercial success. Only around 1,100 Facellia Cabriolets were built before the model was phased out in 1963.

Today, the Facellia Cabriolet is appreciated for its beauty and rarity. It stands as a poignant example of Facel Vega’s ambition and the risks of trying to compete with established sports car manufacturers like Alfa Romeo and Porsche without fully proven engineering. For collectors, a well-sorted Facellia with an upgraded engine can offer a rewarding and stylish driving experience in a truly distinctive French convertible.