The Alfa Romeo Montreal is not one of legendary designer Marcello Gandini’s preeminent works. But it’s still a striking design. And with other Gandini works like the Lamborghini Miura, Countach, and Lancia Stratos flowing from the same pen, it’s in good company.
Despite its name, it was never officially sold in North America, but some gray market imports made their way across the Atlantic, like this 1973 example recently for sale on eBay in Elyria, Ohio.
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The Montreal arrived on a wave of Italian Grand Tourers of the late 1960s. A concept was shown at Expo 67, a world’s fair held in Montreal, Quebec, in 1967. Event organizers selected Alfa Romeo as an exhibitor and asked the brand to create a car of the future that would embody la massima aspirazione raggiungibile dall’uomo in fatto di automobili. Translation: The maximum aspiration achievable by man in terms of automobiles.
Alfa Romeo showed the concept without giving it a name but soon, fans began to call it “The Montreal” in reference to the venue. The name stuck, and when Alfa Romeo unveiled the production car at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show, it became official.
A Concept Car Come to Life
Alfa Romeo’s then-president Giuseppe Luraghi insisted that the Montreal accommodate two very different types of engines. The two prototypes displayed at Expo 67 came equipped with high-revving, dual-carb, twin-cam 1.6-liter four-cylinders good for 90 horsepower at 6,000 rpm. Production models came with a 2.6-liter aluminum V-8 derived from the superlative 33 Stradale and the Tipo 33 race car.
The bigger motor upped output to approximately 200 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 173 pound-feet of torque at 4750 rpm. The hood even employs a fake NACA duct as a design element for the power bulge, accommodating the V-8. However, the weight of the larger engine proved a bit unwieldy, causing excessive body roll when cornering. Alfisti, the masochists of the car enthusiast world, say that it helped drivers appreciate the limits of the car’s handling.
A Worthy Project
Alfa Romeo built only around 3,900 examples of the Montreal from 1971 to 1977. The car changed very little year to year, and the vast majority were sold in the first couple of years. Prime examples sold for around $100,000, with a record-breaking outlier sale in 2014 reaching $176,000.
This listing asks only $49,500 or best offer. However, it’s described as a fixer-upper with likely 129,000 kilometers on its five-digit odometer. The car was repainted and iffy body repairs were attempted. Several windows, including the windscreen, are either missing or damaged. Some of the trim was removed.
If you have the skills or resources to restore this Alfa Romeo Montreal to its former glory, it could be an excellent candidate for a project. You will have what is, especially in the US, a very rare and stylish car.
