Facel Vega HK 500 Price Guide

The Facel Vega HK 500 of 1959 to 1961 was the definitive Facel. It is the most powerful, the most refined, and the most celebrated car Jean Daninos produced. Using the Chrysler 383ci Wedge V8 producing 360bhp in the most powerful specification, the HK 500 was one of the fastest four-seat grand tourers in the world, capable of 145mph. It combined the FV’s formula with more power, improved disc brakes, and a body that developed the original’s proportions to their most resolved expression.

The Car

The HK 500 used the Chrysler 5,907cc (360ci) and 6,286cc (383ci) V8 engines producing 325 to 360bhp. This was substantially more grunt than contemporary Bentley and Mercedes rivals had available.

Power steering and air conditioning were available as options. A four-speed manual or Chrysler TorqueFlite automatic. Around 500 HK 500s were produced. Albert Camus was killed in an HK 500 driven by his publisher Michel Gallimard on 4 January 1960, one of the most lamented road fatalities in French cultural history.

Buying

The HK 500 is the most valuable standard Facel Vega. The combination of Chrysler V8 performance, hand-built French coachwork, and the celebrity provenance makes it a significant collector’s car. Values have been rising as the car’s position in the post-war grand touring hierarchy is better appreciated.