Monteverdi
(1967 - 1982)
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Switzerland
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At the end of the sixties, Peter Monteverdi presented a small sports car called the Monteverdi 2000 GTI, which was created on the mechanical basis of the BMW 2000 Ti and a body by Pietro Frua. The planned presentation fell through and since then rumors and conjectures have swirled around the Volks-Monti and its identical twin, the Frua BMW 2000 ti. This vehicle report attempts to trace the history of the small sports car and shows it in many historical and current illustrations.
In 1967, a Monteverdi made its first appearance at the IAA in Frankfurt: the 375 S coupé. Just a few months later, Peter Monteverdi and Pietro Frua presented an extended version called the 375 L in Geneva. However, a dispute soon arose between the two; the Frua 375 L remained a one-off. Albeit a very elegant one!
In 1967, a new star rose in the luxury sports car firmament: Monteverdi. For many observers, the first model is also the most beautiful. Hardly anyone knows that only ten examples of the Frua-375 S were ever built. One of them was photographed for this report, which documents the entire history of the car in detail, and supplemented with many archive photos that have never been shown before.
In 1970, Peter Monteverdi, the only internationally successful Swiss car manufacturer of the 1960s and 1970s from Switzerland, presented the Monteverdi Hai 450 SS at the Geneva Motor Show, astounding not only potential customers but also the established competition. A mid-engine, 450 hp and a ravishing shape predestined it to be the new top dog in the super sports car guard.
This is probably a one-off test, probably the only one in this constellation. The Lamborghini Miura meets the De Tomaso Mangusta, the Monteverdi hi speed 375 S and the Maserati Ghibli. Playboy cars is what hobby calls this sports car category. Well, the vehicles perform well and even today in 2011, acceleration times and top speeds are impressive, especially when you consider that the test took place over 40 years ago. The fact that the Monteverdi won as the best all-rounder in this test, but the Miura was the fastest, is probably only of historical interest from today's perspective, but the fact that the vehicles were notable for a number of problems could still be relevant for one or two fans today.
In 1970, the Monteverdi Hai 450 SS was one of the most powerful mid-engined sports cars of its time. In the short test, the car impressed as a very fast, compact, luxurious and expensive two-seater mid-engined coupé with elegant and powerful lines. The extremely powerful V8 engine with a well-spaced ZF five-speed gearbox enabled exceptional acceleration figures. The good chassis was pleasing for normal to fast driving, but proved to be somewhat unwieldy on winding roads and in the city. The H gearshift, which is rotated 180 degrees, took some getting used to. On the other hand, the effective dual-circuit braking system with dual servo and the sufficiently direct and precise ZF steering, the luxurious and well-kept interior, the extensive equipment, as well as the effective ventilation and air conditioning system all scored points. Less pleasing was the cramped trunk. The test shows all this in detail and is an important testimony to one of the rarest sports cars in the world (only 2 vehicles were built, later two more were added).
In 1967, Peter Monteverdi launched his own car brand with the 375 S sports coupé, and just six months later he presented a variant called the High Speed 375 L with a longer wheelbase. However, this car was never to be produced in its presented form, as it was only the completely redesigned coupé built by Fissore, which made its debut at the 1969 Geneva Motor Show, that made it into series production. This report tells the story of the Monteverdi High Speed 375 L and shows the 1971 Salon vehicle in many pictures, supplemented by historical illustrations from the time.
Between 1976 and 1982, Peter Monteverdi built the Monteverdi Safari off-road vehicle, which used International Scout technology and reliable V8 engines to enable the wealthy and comfort-conscious to make progress off-road. The most-produced Monteverdi of all time still looks elegant and surprisingly practical almost 40 years after its launch. This report describes the circumstances surrounding the creation and development of the Monteverdi Safari, shows the car in many current and historical pictures, in several original brochures and lets it roar into the microphone.
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All 10 Monteverdi models
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