1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal Fastback Coupe

Bertone was contracted by Alfa Romeo to design an innovative new sports car concept in 1967. It was unveiled to the world at the Expo 67 World's Fair in Montreal. It wore styling by Marcello Gandini, whose resume included the iconic Lamborghini Miura just one year before. At the time, the unnamed coupe was given innovative side gills and retractable slotted headlight shades. It later began to be colloquially referred to as the Alfa Romeo Montreal. Three years later, Alfa Romeo debuted the Montreal as a production model at the 1970 Geneva Auto Salon.

The production version of the Montreal was strikingly similar to the Expo 67 Concept. The Giulia's four-cylinder engine was abandoned for a high-revving quad-cam V8 unit based on the 2.0 liter Tipo 33 Stradale engine. This 90° dry-sump V8 redlined at 7,000 rpm and gave the coupe a Zero-to-Sixty MPH time of just 7.1 seconds while on its way to a top speed of nearly 140 mph.

The Montreal had seating for four and a trunk, making it a practical and usable sports car. Production continued until 1977, with just 3,925 examples built.

This particular example was purchased new in 1972 by Luigino Neri of Terni, Italy. It was specified with factory air-condoning and an exterior color of Gold over a tan interior. The car was in Sig. Neri's care for forty-two years. The original owner showed the car in 1986 San Marcello Pistoiese Car Show where it won Best in Class. It won another Best in Class from the ASI (Automotoclub Storico Italiano) in 1994.

After four decades, the car was repainted in its original color. It was sold to another caretaker in 2013. The current owner then imported the Montreal into the US in 2015, the first time this car left Italy.

This car is powered by a 2593cc dual overhead cam V8 engine fitted with a SPICA mechanical fuel injection system. The 200 horsepower is sent to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2015