Pick of the Day: 1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal, Bertone-designed sports coupe

Rare example was born from Alfa Romeoā€™s Tipo 33 race car

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1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal advertised on ClassicCars.com
1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal advertised on ClassicCars.com

Alfa Romeo re-entered the road-racing scene in the late 1960s with what some people argue is the most beautiful car ever produced ā€“ the Tipo 33 equipped with a 2.6-liter V8.

Wanting to use the Tipo 33ā€™s power plant in a more street-drivable car, Alfa Romeo worked with famous designers Marcello Gandini and Nuccio Bertone to create a 2+2 coupe concept built upon the Giulia GTV platform.

Alfa Romeo unveiled the concept car at the 1967 International and Universal Exposition in Montreal. Met with positive feedback, Alfa Romeo put this concept into production, naming it the Montreal in honor of the expo.

The first production Montreal made its appearance at the 1970 Geneva International Motor Show.

The Pick of the Day is a 1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal, one of 3,900 produced between 1970 and 1977, finished in its original shade of Grigio, which means gray in Italian.

Signature design elements include a NACA duct on the hood, retractable-louver headlight covers that extend over dual headlights, and a vented C-pillar constructed from six horizontal slats behind the doors.

The Montreal is equipped with one of ā€œAlfa Romeoā€™s most-legendary motors,ā€ according to the Halton Hills, Ontario dealer listing the Montreal on ClassicCars.com. Itā€™s a four-cam, 2.6-liter V8 engine equipped with a Spica fuel-injection system that puts out 227 horsepower, helping the coupe reach a top speed of about 140 miles per hour. Power is sent to the rear via a ZF 5-speed manual transmission.

While the interior is tight, itā€™s not lacking in design. Itā€™s upholstered in black leather and cloth and features a polished wood steering wheel, large instrument cluster, center console and a Montreal badge above the ashtray ā€“ the only badge found on the car.Ā 

The interior is also equipped with factory air conditioning, which the dealer notes is a rare find in any Alfa Romeo Montreal.

ā€œThis example has been well-maintained by a local Ferrari dealership,ā€ the dealer says. ā€œIt will be welcomed at vintage tours and Alfa Romeo gatherings as the perfect ā€˜usable classicā€™ or as an addition to any collection of Golden Era GT cars.ā€

The Montreal is being offered for $89,900.

To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Great story! This looks to be an excellent value for a nice Montreal. These cars are fantastic GT cars and the engine sound is addictive. Combine that with the concept car styling and the Montreal is a often overlooked rare 70s true exotic car.

  2. I purchased my 1977 Montreal in 2015. I had first seen the very same car in Frankfurt Germany but decided not to buy it because federalization I thought it would be a nightmare. A decade later I saw the same car on eBay. The owner had bought it a month or two after I had seen it. I couldnā€™t pass on it twice. It was situated just north of San Francisco so I flew up and drove it home two weeks later. Itā€™s a fabulous car, great brakes and good handling. Itā€™s not overpowering and if I had one wish, air conditioning would be a real plus in heavy traffic. I think itā€™s a timeless Gandini design.

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