Half a century since the creation of Alfa Romeo Montreal
Content
Italian legend of the early 70s celebrates its anniversary
The V8-powered Montreal is the most powerful and most expensive Alfa Romeo of its time.
Alfa Romeo Montreal appears for the first time in the world as the studio of the design studio Bertone, which made its public debut at the international exhibition in Montreal. Created by Marcello Gandini, who also wrote legends such as the Lamborghini Miura, Lamborghini Countach and Lancia Stratos, this GT car was originally conceived as a center-engine sports car. However, when Alfa decides to mass produce, the concept needs to be rethought. The basic shape of Montreal remains largely unchanged, but the V8 engine, borrowed from the T33 Stradale, has been "downsized" to 2,6L and output reduced to 200bhp. and 240 Nm, and its location is already under the hood. That doesn't stop the small V8 from displaying its racing genes, but unfortunately, in terms of chassis and handling, Italians rely on Giulia components, so the spectacular 2 + 2-seat Bertone coupe isn't exactly a role model. driving comfort, nor in terms of road behavior. It is for this reason that testing of the model at the 1972 Motor Motor and Sport show found it "probably the oldest new car on the market."
Beauty is a matter of taste
For DM 35, buyers in 000 received a well-equipped coupé with small interior volume, small trunk, not very good workmanship, brakes whose effect weakened under heavy loads, high fuel consumption and poor ergonomics. On the other hand, they also get a great V1972 engine, a superb ZF five-speed transmission, as well as impressive dynamic performance. From idle to 8 km / h Alfa Romeo Montreal accelerates in 100 seconds. In the Ams test, the measured top speed is 7,6 km/h and the average fuel consumption is 224 liters.
The beauty of Alfa Montreal depends entirely on the taste and understanding of the beholder. For some, the 4,22-meter long coupe looks avant-garde, energetic and attractive. For others, however, the proportions of the body are rather strange. The car is too wide and rather short, its wheelbase is only 2,35 meters. However, for some reason, Montreal looks terribly exotic. The rounded front end with a split bumper with a centrally located Scudetto grille is a real design highlight. Partially enclosed moving headlights also look exceptional. There are no rear columns on the roof, but the middle ones are very wide and are decorated with imposing air vents - a typical feature of Maestro Gandini's work. The back is very aggressive and is accentuated with chrome decor. Functionality is a problem that is better not to wait in Montreal.
Alfa Romeo Montreal is produced in small quantities
Alfa Romeo produced a total of 3925 units from the Montreal 3925 and unfortunately many of them fell victim to corrosion due to insufficient corrosion protection at the time. Simply put, this car has the nasty ability to quickly rust almost anywhere. Otherwise, with regular and high-quality maintenance, the equipment turns out to be reliable and reliable - here the Achilles heel of Montreal is characterized by a high price and a small number of spare parts.
CONCLUSION
An avant-garde studio that hits the production line almost directly: Montreal is one of Alfa Romeo's most inspiring and impressive models, and as we know, it is this brand that creates many inspiring and impressive cars. This fact is also evident from the prices - below 90 it is almost impossible to find Montreal in good condition. However, the situation with spare parts is rather complicated.
