1977 Lancia Scorpion

Lancia produced a mid-engine sports car styled by Pininfarina during the mid-1970s and early 1980s that went by several names. It was called the Lancia Beta Montecarlo, Lancia Montecarlo, the Type 137, and the Lancia Scorpion. The first series was known as the Lancia Beta Montecarlo and were built from 1975 to 1978. The second series, produced from 1980 to 1981, was dubbed the Lancia Montecarlo. The United States market received a modified version of the Spider, known as the Lancia Scorpion, in 1976 and 1977. The Montecarlo also served as the basis for the company's Group B rally car known as the Lancia 037, which made its debut in 1982 and won the WRC Manufacturers' Championship a year later. Production of the Montecarlo was exclusive, with 3,558 examples of the first series and 817 of the second series Targas constructed, 2,080 first series and 1,123-second series Coupes, and 220 competition (Corse) models. The total production was 7,798 units. The Corse models were built in 1982.

The first generation of the Montecarlo, known as the Lancia Beta Montecarlo, was introduced in March of 1975 at the 45th Geneva Salon International de l'Auto. It was produced alongside its Lancia Beta stablemate, which had been introduced in 1972 and produced through 1984. It was an entry-level luxury vehicle produced in several body style configurations, including a fastback saloon, notchback saloon, 3-door estate (HPE), a 2-door Targa, and a two-door coupe. The two-door mid-engine coupe version was known as the Montecarlo, and although it had similarities to the Beta, it also had vast differences. All versions were equipped with dual overhead camshaft engines, a five-speed gearbox, fully independent suspension using MacPherson struts, four-wheel disc brakes, and rack and pinion steering. The front-wheel-drive Beta had its gearbox and engine transversely mounted inline on a subframe that bolted to the underside of the body. The Montecarlo had a rear-wheel-drive configuration and a similar layout to the Beta, but its subframe was mounted at the rear.

The Lancia Beta had a 99.8-inch wheelbase for the Berlina and a 92.5-inch platform for the coupe. The Berlina had an overall length of approximately 169 inches, the coupe at 157.2 inches, and the Spider at 159.1 inches. The compact Montecarlo had a short 90.6-inch wheelbase, an overall length of 150.1 inches, and stood 46.9 inches tall.

The First Series Lancia Beta Montecarlo
The Lancia Beta Montecarlo received a Lampredi-designed twin-cam inline four-cylinder engine with a 1995cc displacement that developed 118 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and was paired with a five-speed manual transmission. Zero-to-sixty mph was accomplished at approximately 9.3 seconds, and the top speed was over 190 km/h.

Pininfarina was tasked with building the car in its entirety, and body styles included a fixed-head Coupe and an open-roof Spider which featured a folding canvas roof between solid A and B pillars.

First series Montecarlo models rode on 5.5J x 13 'Bow-tie' alloy wheels, had vinyl upholstery (cloth was optional), a two-spoke steering wheel, and a driver's side Vitaloni Californian mirror. A right-hand side mirror was optional. A unique styling element on the 1st Series examples were the solid panels on the rear wings above the engine bay.

Production of the Lancia Beta Montecarlo was halted in 1978 and did not resume until 1980.

The most popular production year for the Beta Montecarlo was 1976, with 3,179 examples built (2,279 Spider and 900 coupes). Both 1975 and 1977 had similar production figures, with 1,184 of the former and 1,218 of the latter. 412 coupes and 772 spiders were built in 1975, with those figures nearly flipped for 1977, with 740 coupes and 478 spiders. Just 28 coupes and 27 Spiders were built in 1977.

The Second Series Lancia Montecarlo
When production of the Montecarlo resumed in1 980, its 'Beta' prefix had been dropped. Minor updates had been made, including larger eight-spoke 5.5Jx14 alloy wheels sourced from the Beta, larger brake rotors and calipers, and the brake servo was removed to resolve the brake lockup issue. Styling revisions included the split grille used on the 1979 Delta, a full-width brushed aluminum strip replacing the model badging on the tail, and glazed rear buttresses, which improved rearward visibility. The interiors gained a three-spoke Momo steering wheel, and updated fabrics and trim. The engine compression ratio was increased, new carburetors were installed, and a Marelli electronic ignition system helped boost torque output.

The Lancia Scorpion
Since Chevrolet had a model named the Monte Carlo, the Lancia Beta Montecarlo convertibles sent to the United States in 1976 and 1977 were called the Lancia Scorpion to avoid confusion or conflict. To comply with United States emission regulations, a smaller 1,756cc twin-cam engine was installed with a reduced compression ratio of 8.1:1, a smaller carburetor, and a less aggressive camshaft profile. This emission-friendly engine produced 81 horsepower, a decrease of approximately 40 horsepower from the 2.0-liter version. Crash test and safety regulations meant the Scorpion had low-rise pop-up, sealed beam headlights, larger 5 mph bumpers, and additional vents on the engine cover to cool the catalyst. So along with the less potent engine, the U.S.-destined Scorpion also weighed approximately 130 lbs more than its European counterpart.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2022