Jean Daninos founded Facel Métallon as a metalworking enterprise serving the French automotive industry before launching the Facel Vega in 1954 as a coachbuilt GT using Chrysler V8 engines — the reasoning being that French powerplants of the period could not deliver the torque a properly sized GT demanded. The HK500 of 1959 represents the pinnacle of the first generation: Chrysler 361 or 383 cubic-inch Hemi V8 engines rated at 360 or 390 horsepower, a hand-formed steel body with wide panoramic glass, chrome window surround, and distinctive hooded headlamps — making it simultaneously the fastest French automobile of its era and the one most likely to be found in a European director's garage beside a bespoke suit. Heritage Icons renders the HK500 from above, the overhead plan view exposing the car's remarkable width, panoramic rear glass, and champagne body — framed within a green hexagon and announced by a dark-green ribbon banner. The top-down view is the architect's view, and this was always an architect's car.