Bronzavia was a French manufacturer of military aircraft that, in 1939, founded FACEL to produce specialized components. An acronym for Forges et Ateliers de Constructions d’Eure-et- Loir, FACEL hired Marcel Koehler to run the company through 1945, when Jean Daninos replaced him at the behest of former Bronzavia boss and major FACEL shareholder Henri Feuillee. With his experience at Citroen, General Aircraft in the USA and Bronzavia, Daninos had the engineering and business skillset FACEL needed to move more aggressively into automobile body construction and, ultimately, full car production. Building bodies for the likes of Ford, Panhard, Simca and even Bentley, FACEL also produced body parts for Delahaye, Vespa, Piaggio and Motobecane, as well as tractor parts. Daninos took the company to another level by establishing Facel Vega in 1954, building an ultra-luxury, high-performance coupe with outstanding build quality and an astonishingly luxurious interior. Engineering costs were kept to a minimum by using engines, transmissions and chassis components from DeSoto, and all things considered, the Facel Vega hugely rivaled the likes of Bentley, Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Benz in materials quality and usage. For 1956, Facel Vega began using Chrysler’s 331 CI Hemi V-8 and also introduced a four-door sedan with a unique pillarless center section and suicide rear doors. Quality and performance remained exemplary, and prices continued to be stratospheric, but in 1958, Facel Vega introduced the FV4 Typhoon. Powered by the 354/355 HP Chrysler Hemi V-8, the Typhoon thundered from 0-60 MPH in about 9 seconds and topped out around 130 MPH. The roughly $12,000 price guaranteed that it dripped excess and exclusivity, a promise it kept as only 36 were built. This 1958 Facel Vega FV4 Typhoon features the correct Typhoon-specific air cleaner and has undergone a cosmetic restoration. Finished in white, it rolls on Borrani wire wheels with knock-off centers and blackwall tires, and the original trim and bumpers remain. The black interior is signature Facel Vega with thickly padded front bucket seats, a low center console complete with switchgear, and the stunning wrapping dashboard of burled wood nestled with brightly rimmed gauges. Making the car even more enjoyable to drive, it has been fitted with a custom-designed and engineered air conditioning system by Vintage Air and the original brakes have been upgraded with a modern dual electric master-cylinder system. Modern power window mechanisms have also been installed.
