Monteverdi: Exotic / luxury car with Chrysler powertrains and bodies

by Mike Sealey

Peter Monteverdi was a Ferrari dealer in Geneva. At some point in the 1970s, he became a cottage industry car manufacturer himself, building Italian-looking exotics with MoPar RB and 426 Hemi power and drive trains. (The Monteverdi "High Speed" is my favorite; a Ferrari-like four door sedan with 440 standard and 426 optional, your choice of 4-speed or Torqueflite 727...)

Automobiles Monteverdi Ltd. was founded in 1967, and is said to have employed 170 employees and produced 1300 automobiles in 1976. Most Monteverdis were exotics, with something of a Ferrari/Maserati look to them and powered by Chrysler's hottest V-8s, including the 426 Hemi (used in the Hai 1) and the 440.

The Monteverdi Sahara appears to be a rebodied International Scout 2. It came standard with an International 345, but offered a Chrysler 440 as an option.

The Monteverdi 375

The 375 was, according to Dietmar Frensenmeyer, one of Monteverdi’s two successful lines (along with the Safari, a rebodied, rust-prone Scout 2 with production of 1,000 by Rayton of Italy); Bob Lutz bought one of the rare 375s imported into America. John Predgen sent us a brief clipping which called the 375 a four-passenger sedan that was really too small for four people; it looked not unlike a contemporary Jaguar. Produced from 1967 to 1969, the 375 boasted a Chrysler 440 V8, mounted close to the firewall for better balance; Bob Lutz claimed it was good for 0-60 in 6.3 seconds, stunning for the time (largely due to the tires and suspensions of contemporary muscle cars). It used square-sectioned steel tubing for the chassis, with a double-wishbone, coil-spring front suspension and de Dion tube axle in back. Only about ten were made; about five were brought into the US, just two in 1968 (Lutz's year), with a special exemption from Department of Transportation requirements. As a luxury car, it was equipped with a Becker radio and power windows, brakes, and steering. The 375’s front suspension was probably adapted for the later Sierra.

The Monteverdi Sierra: the ultimate luxury Volare

In 1977, Monteverdi brought out a less-expensive car, the Sierra, which appears to have been based on Chrysler's Aspen/Volare bodyshell. The photos in the brochure, provided by Alexander Beyer, show a completely different exterior with different seats, but similar interior space and a dashboard configuration which appears to be that of the Aspen/Volare with different gauges and trim fitted.

Dietmar Frensemeyer wrote:

Sierra was Aspen body redesigned by Monteverdi (front, rear, and interior), built by my friend Rudi Wenger in Basel, Switzerland. About twenty were made, one very nice convertible.

The Monteverdi brochure, provided by Alexander Beyer (who also supplied the scans on this page), said in both German and English:

Timeless elegance enhanced by simple, clean lines, and an exemplary technical conception combined with high performance underscore the inherent qualitiy of this automobile. The quality and high standard of its finish together with model consistency and the best grade of materials employed in its construction round out the exclusive character of the Monteverdi Sierra. This unique and exclusive automobile will be seldom seen. Only where people of good taste meet. The Sierra’s low production is another reason why this fine car will always retain its exclusiveness.

A well-proven V-8 engine of 5.2 liter displacement guarantees smooth yet powerful performance, with an acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 10 seconds, and a top-speed potential in excess of 200 km/h (120 plus mph). An automatic transmission, a finely tuned rear suspension with limited-slip differential, and adjustable shock absorbers make for comfortable driving and insure excellent roadholding as well as active safety. The entire concept of this luxury sedan is aimed at comfortable and safe high-speed cruising.

The weight was given as 1,600 kg (2,350 kg fully loaded). The 318 was rated at 160 DIN hp (116 kW) at 3,500 rpm and 39.6 mkp (382.9 Nm) at 2,000 rpm, on 91 ROZ octane fuel. The transmission was actually called the TorqueFlite. The body was unitized; front suspension had upper wishbones and lower horizontal arms combined with trailing radius rods, progressively acting coil springs, adjustable shocks, and stabilizer bar. This seems to be a major departure from the A/F bodies, which did not use coil springs, though the lower horizontal arms sound like the F-body torsion bars.

Tires were 215/70 x 14, hubs 14x6. Brakes had an effective pad area of 900 cubic centimeters. Turning circle was 12.8 m. Acceleration was aboout 10 seconds 0-60. Gas mileage was 14-20 liters/100km. Several colors were offered; standard features included air, power windows, locks, and seats, steering wheel adjustment for rake and reach, cruise, and leather.

The Sierra cabriolet appears to be based on the Aspen/Volare coupe but with the top removed and extensive remodelling.

Unfortunately, Peter Monteverdi himself was reportedly not the most friendly character, and the cars were, as noted earlier, rather rust-prone, presumably due to carelessness in preparation of the unique bodies. (1976 Aspen-Volares were also rust-prone in parts but this was fixed early on.)

Chrysler itself would eventually bring out a LeBaron version of the Volare/Aspen, but it would not be nearly as stylish or luxurious as the Monteverdi - nor would it have the same power rating (the 318 would always take regular gas and produce 150 hp or less), or the Monteverdi high-performance suspension.

Other exotics using Mopar bits and pieces

Jensen

Tom Garcia pointed out: "Another exotic that used solely Mopar drive trains was the British Jensen Interceptor, Mk I, II, and III (1967-74). 383s, 440s, and a test car with a 426 Hemi. Not as exotic as the Swiss Monteverdi, but a lot more plentiful in the U.S."

We have a moderately sizeable article on the Jensen Interceptor.

Facel Vega

Philippe Ruel noted: Facel Vega used Chrysler Hemis from 1954 to 1964 in high-priced coupes and sedans. Due to local rules and heavy custom duties on imported vehicles and parts, it seems they managed to trade Chrysler Hemi engines for French Pont-a-Mousson 4-speed manual transmissions featured in "lettered" 300s from 1956. For much more info, please browse (in French) Facel Vega's beautiful site : www.facel-vega.asso.fr or (in english) www.facel.com.

We also have a decent-sized article on the Facel Vega here at allpar.

Bristol

Nick Challacombe wrote that Bristol used Chrysler 360 engines up to 1986, and is making a new model (the Bristol Fighter) using the Viper's engine. It starts at around £200,000.

Here’s news from Bristol’s web site: “At 3500 rpm the standard Fighter produces 525 lb.ft of torque. The Fighter T delivers more than 900 lb.ft at the same rpm, and continues to do so all the way up to the rev limit of 6000 rpm. Styling changes mean the T's drag factor is reduced to 0.27 by a new rear wake diffuser, and a potential maximum speed of more than 270 mph has been electronically limited to a more than sufficient 225 mph at 4500 rpm. 0 to 60 mph is achieved in less than 3.5 seconds.” The Fighter T uses a turbocharged Viper engine. “The latest engine is an all-aluminium 8 litre V10 with 9.3:1 compression ratio, two ball bearing water cooled turbochargers with intercooling, uprated engine internals, high flow cylinder heads with high lift camshaft, a high capacity cooling system and catalysts. The free flow exhaust exits at the side of the car. All of these revisions mean an output of 127 bhp per litre, that's 1012 bhp at 5600 rpm, with 1036 lb.ft of torque available at at 4500 rpm.”

Others

Bob Schmitt wrote: “The Maserati Quattroportte used a TorqueFlite behind their own V-8. I have a friend who owns one and thinks it's probably a taxi/police tranny because of the harsh shifts.” (It could also be retuned.)

The Consulier GTP was probably the fastest Chrysler 2.2 powered car ever made, and quite a few of them were produced. (We have a Consulier GTP page.)

Zack reported that the 1974 Bricklin SV1 started out with the 220HP AMC 360 V8 engine; they only switched to Ford when AMC couldn’t supply enough engines. B. Rabbit seconded that: “The Bricklin sports car (1971-1974) used many AMC parts, mainly undercarriage, and for the first year and a half of production, the AMC 360 with four barrel. Due to a availability problems, the 360 was replaced by the Ford 351 Windsor. The 360 cars are more desired by Brickophiles, because their performance is far superior.”