Photo: Classic Car Auctions
Alfa Romeo’s recent history is that of an automaker reborn from the ground up. But back when the Italian marque didn’t depend on Fiat’s money and Ferrari’s technical know-how, Alfa Romeo used to design automobiles such as the extremely underrated Montreal.
Some 3,900 examples were built from 1970 to 1977. In other words, this is a rarer breed than the iconic Ferrari 308. For comparison’s sake, Lamborghini made 14,022 Gallardos between 2003 and 2013. Beyond the exclusivity that comes with owning a Montreal, it’s worth underlining that this a proper Alfa.
Gifted by Bertone’s Marcello Gandini with grand tourer proportions, a NACA-style duct in the hood, and retracting grilles for the headlights, the Montreal is powered by a 2.6-liter V8 engine derived from the high-revving 2.0-liter unit in the Tipo 33 Stradale and Tipo 33 prototype racer. Thanks to fuel injection and four camshafts, the race-bred alloy engine is capable of 200 PS (197 hp) and 253 Nm (173 lb-ft). It revs hard too, with the redline set at 7,000 rpm.
And compared to the U.S.-spec Giulia, which is mated exclusively to an eight-speed auto, the Montreal is a more engaging affair thanks to a ZF-developed five-speed manual. This is one of those blasts from the past, and good golly, it's estimated that this baby will sell for anything between £32,000 and £38k.
Classic Car Auctions does note that this 1972 model scores a 76 out of 135 points in terms of condition. The auction company highlights that the car was never subjected to a comprehensive restoration, but it was meticulously maintained by the previous owner. Another plus point is the mileage: 44,678 kilometers (27,761 miles) from new is not a lot, especially for a good old V8.
Coming with a comprehensive history file, the pictured Alfa Romeo Montreal strikes a discordant note from its peers thanks to an engine mod. To be more specific, the previous owner replaced the SPICA fuel injection system with a suite of carbs. That should bring reliability up a bit compared to the original setup. To boot, carburetors should pay dividend in the sound department.
On an ending note, the name of this elegant bruiser is a nod to a concept Alfa Romeo unveiled at the Expo 67 in Montreal, Canada. But as fate would have it, the Italian marque never actually sold the Montreal in North America.
Gifted by Bertone’s Marcello Gandini with grand tourer proportions, a NACA-style duct in the hood, and retracting grilles for the headlights, the Montreal is powered by a 2.6-liter V8 engine derived from the high-revving 2.0-liter unit in the Tipo 33 Stradale and Tipo 33 prototype racer. Thanks to fuel injection and four camshafts, the race-bred alloy engine is capable of 200 PS (197 hp) and 253 Nm (173 lb-ft). It revs hard too, with the redline set at 7,000 rpm.
And compared to the U.S.-spec Giulia, which is mated exclusively to an eight-speed auto, the Montreal is a more engaging affair thanks to a ZF-developed five-speed manual. This is one of those blasts from the past, and good golly, it's estimated that this baby will sell for anything between £32,000 and £38k.
Classic Car Auctions does note that this 1972 model scores a 76 out of 135 points in terms of condition. The auction company highlights that the car was never subjected to a comprehensive restoration, but it was meticulously maintained by the previous owner. Another plus point is the mileage: 44,678 kilometers (27,761 miles) from new is not a lot, especially for a good old V8.
Coming with a comprehensive history file, the pictured Alfa Romeo Montreal strikes a discordant note from its peers thanks to an engine mod. To be more specific, the previous owner replaced the SPICA fuel injection system with a suite of carbs. That should bring reliability up a bit compared to the original setup. To boot, carburetors should pay dividend in the sound department.
On an ending note, the name of this elegant bruiser is a nod to a concept Alfa Romeo unveiled at the Expo 67 in Montreal, Canada. But as fate would have it, the Italian marque never actually sold the Montreal in North America.
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