Description
Usually a production version of a concept car is less exciting. Often the design is somewhat weakened and the engine is suddenly smaller. None of that with the Alfa Romeo Montreal, which is presented at the 1967 world exhibition in, yes, Montreal with a 1. 6 Nord engine. Three years later, the creation drawn by Marcello Gandini is in production at the Geneva Motor Show. With a V8.
Yes, instead of a compact 1. 6 four-cylinder, the Montreal is equipped with a 2, 593 cc V8, which is good for 200 hp. In fact, the engine is a somewhat tamer version of the 33 Stradale, one of the most sensational Alfa Romeos ever. Chassis and suspension are heavily based on that of the GTV 1750. The five-speed gearbox comes from ZF and the Montreal has a limited-slip differential as standard.
At least as striking as the engine is the appearance of the Montreal. For example, there are the very characteristic grilles behind the doors. These were intended for the concept car to cool the engine, since that prototype had the engine behind the front seats. From a styling point of view, they were retained when the engine was moved forward.
This Montreal dates from 1974 and was delivered in the beloved color orange, although it sounds much nicer in Italian: Arancio. According to Archivio Storico Alfa Romeo records, the car was built on December 31, 1972 and delivered to the first customer in Frankfurt on June 25, 1973.
The Montreal was restored a few years ago. The car was then repainted in the correct colour. It looks great on the car, especially in combination with the black upholstery and orange-red carpet.
The bodywork is very neat. The paintwork is, of course, very nice and during the restoration, neat fits and seams of the body were taken care of. Important, because the bright, flat color makes inequalities immediately noticeable. Other exterior parts, such as the bumpers, black parts and wheels are all in a very healthy condition. The beautifully stylized slats for the headlights naturally function properly.
Ok the interior is very neat. The seats look beautiful and are without noticeable damage, the rest of the interior can be called very neat. The beautiful clock shop looks special, with the speedometer and rev counter housed in larger circles in which other meters can be found.
The Montreal is powered by a 2. 6 liter Spica fuel injected V8. With this engine, a top speed of 220 kilometers per hour is achievable and the well-known 0-100 sprint takes only 7. 1 seconds. Serious values for the time and still no numbers to be ashamed of.
Driving a Montreal is a real pleasure. For owners of an Alfa Romeo ‘Bertone’ or Giulia there will be a kind of recognisability, but in the meantime also a completely different experience. Due to the large power source and seats positioned further back, it is also completely different from a regular Alfa Romeo of the 105 series, to which this Montreal also belongs. Driving this Italian is a cross between comfort and sportiness. City traffic is fine, but the Montreal definitely prefers not to. Wonderful winding roads, whether in Italy along Lake Como or in the Netherlands on dike roads: that is the favorite environment of the Montreal. Incidentally, the Montreal also feels perfectly at home on the highway to make kilometers there at an above-average pace.
The car comes with a folder full of documentation, emails from the former owner, some invoices and the data of Archivio Storico Alfa Romeo.
