[3] At this stage, the 180 hp (132 kW) FV was capable of a top speed from 172 to 193 km/h (107 to 120 mph), depending on which rear axle ratio was installed.

The chassis, designed by Lance Macklin, was tubular framed, featuring coil springs and double wishbones at the front, with a leaf-sprung live rear axle.

[4] The styling, by Daninos himself, was somewhat American and perhaps a bit heavy[citation needed], with rudimentary tail fins.

Seven were convertibles, but as these suffered from rigidity troubles all but a handful of the rest of the large two-door Facels were pillarless coupés.

[6] Referred to as the FVS in the United States, the car featured the same 4.8-litre engine as in the FV1, albeit now offering 250 hp (184 kW).

[7] One FV3 convertible was also finished, in spite of Daninos' reluctance to offer the bodystyle due to its lack of rigidity.

At some point a reworked, more harmonious front end was introduced for the FV3 model, featuring what looked like twin stacked headlights but what were actually headlamps on top and auxiliaries beneath.

French publisher Michel Gallimard was driving his FV2 on January 4, 1960, when he lost control and crashed outside of Villeblevin.

[citation needed] Albert Camus died when the Facel Vega FV3B he was travelling in hit a tree.