" Alfa's Montreal is one of those cars that seem too rarified, too exotic and graceful to lower itself to the rigours of a track day. But our squeamishness is blasted out the window by this hand-made onboard of a Montreal-heavy "
Alfa Romeo Montreal
It never ceases to cheer us up to see look at the gorgeous lines of the Alfa Romeo Montreal, which was penned by Lamborghini Muira designer Marcello Gandini whilst working at the Bertone Carrozzeria toward the end of the sixties.
The production car was launched at Geneva in 1970, and was loved by almost everyone who lay eyes on her. But in it’s pretty body beat a powerful heart: a V8 derived from the one that had been used in the Tipo 33 Stradale. It was therefore not only a lovely looking thing, it went like stink and had some serious aural grunt as well as a futuristic ergonomically efficient interior.
A little under 4000 of the cars were produced until 1977, and the car remains one of the all-time most popular dream rides here at Influx towers.
CLICK TO ENLARGE
2 litre V8? Oh no-it was a dry-sump quad cam 2.5 V8 with Alfa's own Spica mechanical fuel injection and the gearbox with dog-leg 1st as used in the Aston V8. Did it go like stink? 0-60 in 7.4 secs…not bad, but not that fast.
I’d agree that this is one of Gandini’s best and is well undervalued. It is every bit as exotic as any other supercar from the period though it low production run and the inevitable rust will ensure this stays a rare sight. The blue one currently for sale in the states fresh from its rebuild shouldn’t hang around for long, though the suspension looks like it has yet to settle