Excellent Excellence
1:43 | $44.95
When the subject of sleek, low-slung European GT cars with American engines comes up, most of us think of the many Italian-American hybrids, or the English Cad-Allards and later, Cobras. But surprisingly, the first to be offered in both Europe and the U.S. was the 1954 Vega, built by the French company Facel and powered by the new Chrysler 276 cubic-inch Hemi. A succession of Facel Vegas (all Chrysler-powered) culminated in the 1960 Excellence, a beautiful 4-door pillarless hardtop with center-opening doors and a VERY hefty $12,500.00 price tag. Tom McCahill called the Excellence “sexier than the Place Pigalle and throatier than a Russian basso.” Ixo has the Excellence’s clean lines right from every angle and every detail is there in perfect scale; the legible photo-etched “Excellence” on the trunk lid measures just 0.17 in.! The authentic pale metallic green paint is absolutely flawless and there’s a LOT of chrome; some of which, like the wide lower body moldings, appears to be printed in very bright chrome. Looking inside, the leather-colored upholstery’s seat and door panel patterns are correct, with relief handles and cranks over-printed with silver. The authentic wood-grained dash is nicely done and has a full complement of accurate instruments. The only item missing is the long, thin shift lever. — Wayne Moyer
