Monteverdi High Speed
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The Monteverdi High Speed is a series of sports cars with different bodies produced from 1967 to 1976 by Swiss automaker
Monteverdi Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (baptized 15 May 1567 – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, choirmaster and string player. A composer of both secular and sacred music, and a pioneer in the development of opera, he is considere ...
. The High Speed series included several coupe models, a convertible and a sedan. In addition, the Coupé Berlinetta and the Cabriolet Palm Beach also belong to the model family.


Conception

Generally, the Monteverdi High Speed series models are described as uncomplicated technically. They were based on a box frame of square steel tubes. The design of the frame was Monteverdi's own; The chassis was manufactured by Stahlbau AG in Muttenz in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, which according to some information at least momentarily belonged to Monteverdi. The front suspension parts were made by Alford & Alder in the United Kingdom, the rear axles were by
Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...
, brakes by Girling, and the steering by ZF. The engines used were V8 engines from Chrysler, with outputs of about originally. The output is also the origin of the model names. However, this claimed power was in SAE Gross; the corresponding DIN values were about 35 percent lower. On the other hand, Chrysler's big-block engines, especially those made by Chrysler's Mopar components, could deliver far greater horsepower without major problems. It was also possible to specify Chrysler's slightly smaller but much more powerful
Hemi engine A hemispherical combustion chamber is a combustion chamber in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine with a domed " hemispheric" shape. An engine featuring this type of hemispherical chamber is known as a hemi engine. In practice, ...
; this was eventually made available to all High Speed models. As American manufacturers had to meet more stringent emissions standards at home, beginning at the end of the 1960s, the engines supplied to Monteverdi also became less and less powerful. By 1974, Monteverdi claimed a top speed of only for the 375 L 2+2, and in period road tests not even this always proved achievable. Frère, p. 73 This from a design which had been able to reach only a few years earlier, using an engine without the emissions restrictions. Monteverdi never modified the engines for more power, limiting himself to adding a larger oil pan and installing an oil cooler (with a transmission oil cooler added on automatic-equipped cars). Frère, p. 74


Variants

Between 1967 and 1976 Monteverdi presented a variety of variants of the High Speed series of models. All of these models have been uniformly designated by the factory as High Speed 375 (denominating the engine's power in SAE gross); they carried suffixes identifying coupés on standard wheelbase, short coupés, convertibles, and sedans. In general, two series can be distinguished. The first series, produced from 1967 to 1968, included a handful of coupés designed and built by
Pietro Frua Pietro Frua (2 May 1913 - 28 June 1983) was one of the leading Italian coachbuilders and car designers during the 1950s and 1960s. Early years Frua was born in Turin, the centre of coachbuilding in northern Italy. He was the fourth son of Angela, ...
in Turin. The second, much more numerous series debuted in the summer of 1968 and ended in 1976. These are vehicles that were largely (but not exclusively) built at the
Carrozzeria Fissore Carrozzeria Fissore was an Italian coachbuilder located in Savigliano, near Turin (Piedmont). History The firm was founded in by the brothers Antonio, Bernardo, Giovanni, and Costanzo Fissore. Originally they built horsecarts and only later e ...
in Savigliano. The first vehicles bodied by
Carrozzeria Fissore Carrozzeria Fissore was an Italian coachbuilder located in Savigliano, near Turin (Piedmont). History The firm was founded in by the brothers Antonio, Bernardo, Giovanni, and Costanzo Fissore. Originally they built horsecarts and only later e ...
still used Frua's design; from 1969 there was a new, Fissore-designed body, from which various derivatives were developed.


The Frua models


High Speed 375 S (Frua)

The first model, the High Speed 375 S, was a two-seater coupé with a body designed by
Pietro Frua Pietro Frua (2 May 1913 - 28 June 1983) was one of the leading Italian coachbuilders and car designers during the 1950s and 1960s. Early years Frua was born in Turin, the centre of coachbuilding in northern Italy. He was the fourth son of Angela, ...
in Turin. Some of the Monteverdi's details continued features of Frua's earlier work, with notable similarities to the
Maserati Mistral The Maserati Mistral (''Tipo AM109'') is a 2-seat gran turismo produced by Italian car manufacturer Maserati between 1963 and 1970. The successor to the 3500 GT, it was styled by Frua and bodied by Maggiora of Turin. A total of 844 coupé ...
and the British
AC 428 __NOTOC__ Year 428 (Roman numerals, CDXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Felix (consul 428), Felix and Taurus (consul 428), Taurus (or, less frequently, ...
. Some sources claim that the similarities go so far that individual components of these cars, such as glass sections and doors, are interchangeable. The Frua-bodied High Speed 375 S was presented at the 43rd IAA in September 1967, in the Auto Becker booth, and received very positive reviews.
Zürich Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...
daily ''
Blick ''Blick'' (View) is a Swiss German-language daily newspaper and online news website covering current affairs, entertainment, sports and lifestyle. Based in Zurich, it is the largest newspaper in Switzerland with a print circulation of around 28 ...
'' referred to it as "the most beautiful shape ever seen between the Alps and the English Channel". In addition to the elegant bodywork and solid handling, the car was also lauded for its luxurious and well-finished interior. Regular production commenced in 1967 at the latest, with work shared between Switzerland and Italy. First, the workers in Monteverdi's Binningen workshop fitted the drivetrain and suspension to the chassis. The roadworthy chassis was then delivered to Turin, where Frua installed the body and finished the car. The ready-to-drive vehicle was then returned to Monteverdi to deliver to the buyer. By this means of production, a total of twelve coupés were produced in the first six months of cooperation between Monteverdi and Frua.


High Speed 375 L (Frua)

Alongside the regular two-seater coupé, Frua developed an extended version designed as a 2+2-seater on behalf of Monteverdi. The sideline and the roof section were both significantly changed. The prototype was shown in public in 1968, but remained at Monteverdi's factory afterwards and never went on sale.


High Speed 400 S

Coinciding with the 375 S, Monteverdi announced the availability of an even more powerful model with a version of Chrysler's "Magnum" eight-cylinder with twin four-barrel carburettors, which was to provide . The car never materialized and such a model with a Frua body was never produced.


The end of the collaboration with Frua

In the spring of 1968,
Peter Monteverdi Peter Monteverdi (7 June 1934 – 4 July 1998) was a Swiss people, Swiss carmaker and creator of the car brand ''Monteverdi (car), Monteverdi''. At the beginning of his career, Monteverdi was a automobile salesperson, car salesman. His father ra ...
considered a significant increase in annual output; Around 100 vehicles were planned per year. These numbers did not match the capacity of Atelier Frua, whose bodies were purely hand built, and who had no capacity to build such high numbers of vehicles. Frua then suggested outsourcing the production to Carrozzeria Maggiora, where some Maserati models were already built and capacities for a partially automated production existed. But Monteverdi rejected this step, because it was associated with high investments, especially for pressing tools. Instead, he was looking for another body shop that could do the purely manual production of the desired quantities. This he found in
Carrozzeria Fissore Carrozzeria Fissore was an Italian coachbuilder located in Savigliano, near Turin (Piedmont). History The firm was founded in by the brothers Antonio, Bernardo, Giovanni, and Costanzo Fissore. Originally they built horsecarts and only later e ...
in
Savigliano Savigliano () is a of Piedmont, Northern Italy, in the Province of Cuneo, about south of Turin by rail. It is home to ironworks, foundries, locomotive works (once owned by Fiat Ferroviaria, now by Alstom) and silk manufactures, as well as sugar ...
(south of Turin), a smaller and less prestigious design studio of the northern Italian level, which in the 1960s designed the
De Tomaso Vallelunga The De Tomaso Vallelunga is a mid-engine sports car produced from 1964 until 1967. It was the first road going automobile manufactured by the company. History The prototype has a backbone chassis with stressed member engine and formula car susp ...
and some
DKW DKW (''Dampfkraftwagen'', – the same initials later also used for ''Des Knaben Wunsch'', ; ''Das Kleine Wunder'', and ''Deutsche Kinderwagen'', ) was a German car- and motorcycle-marque. DKW was one of the four companies that formed Auto U ...
models for the South American market. From the summer of 1968 Monteverdi had a total of about ten bodies of Pietro Frua's design produced at Carrozzeria Fissore. At the same time Peter Monteverdi denied the payment of royalties to Frua, whereupon this Monteverdi had the use of his design prohibited by court order. Monteverdi then had to design a new body, which was available in 1969. Until then, Monteverdi could not sell off all the bodies built by Fissore in Frua style; The last of these rare models were sold off in 1973. Pietro Frua used the basic features of the Monteverdi 375 in a modified form also in later other designs. So in 1971 he designed a fastback coupe based on the Dodge Challenger , which repeated many features of the 375. The Challenger Coupe still exists today and is regularly shown at European exhibitions.


The Fissore Models

For 1969, as a consequence of the lawsuit with Frua over unpaid royalties, Monteverdi had to design a new body for the High Speed models. Unlike before, the pure two-seater would not be the volume model; Rather, various inquiries from prospective buyers had revealed that a 2 + 2 coupe on extended chassis was preferred. Accordingly, the High Speed 375 L should be the base vehicle of the Monteverdi range. In the next eight years, the bodies were produced predominantly, but not exclusively, at Fissore in Savigliano. Other coachbuilders and workshops such as
Embo S.p.A. Embo SpA in Caramagna PiemonteGeorgano: ''The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile.'' 2001. is a body parts supplier to the European automotive industry which briefly also manufactured vehicles under its own brand name. History The company ...
also produced a handful of High Speed bodies.


Monteverdi 2000 GTI

The 2000 GTI study was designed as a cheaper alternative to the High Speed GT cars. The project employed BMW components and was powered by a four-cylinder, engine. In order to maintain the exclusivity of the High Speed series, Peter Monteverdi decided not to build the lower priced, smaller GT coupé.


High Speed 375 L

The High Speed 375 L with Fissore body was to become the volume model of the Monteverdi product range. The new body in its proportions corresponded exactly to the Frua model, but featured an angular design at the front and rear. The front end showed strong chrome-framed double round headlights, which were later replaced by rectangular broadband headlights in a few cases. At the rear, tail lights from the
Alfa Romeo Giulia Alfa Romeo Giulia () is the name of three not directly related model (line)s from Italian carmaker Alfa Romeo. The first were the four-door Type 105 entry-level compact executive sports sedans produced from 1962 to 1978; the second are the upda ...
Berlina were used. Who was the designer of this model is unclear.
Peter Monteverdi Peter Monteverdi (7 June 1934 – 4 July 1998) was a Swiss people, Swiss carmaker and creator of the car brand ''Monteverdi (car), Monteverdi''. At the beginning of his career, Monteverdi was a automobile salesperson, car salesman. His father ra ...
claimed to have designed the body itself, Fissore never denied it to him. It is likely that Fissore worked out the details according to Monteverdi sketches and Monteverdi relinquished the rights to the design, as if in return for the production order. Peter Monteverdi highlighted in a sales brochure from 1972, the style of the vehicle and the outstanding performance. In it he described the Monteverdi High Speed 375 L as "the Coupé of today with the technology of tomorrow". The German magazine
Auto Motor und Sport ''Auto Motor und Sport'', (stylized in all lowercase) and abbreviated AMS or AMuS, is a German automobile magazine. It is published fortnightly by Motor Presse Netzwerk's subsidiary Motor Presse Stuttgart, a specialist magazine publisher that is ...
tested a high-speed 375 L with a 7.2-liter engine in spring, 1972 and determined the following performance: Top speed: 229.3 km/h (142.5 mph) 0–100 km/h (0-62 mph): 8.2 seconds 1 km with standing start: 28.3 seconds. Thus, the Monteverdi was about at the level of the British
Jensen Interceptor The Jensen Interceptor is a grand touring car which was hand-built at the Kelvin Way Factory in West Bromwich, near Birmingham in England, by Jensen Motors between 1966 and 1976. The Interceptor name had been used previously by Jensen for the ...
, but did not match the performance of cars such as the
Aston Martin V8 The Aston Martin V8 is a grand tourer manufactured by Aston Martin in the United Kingdom from 1969 to 1989. As with all traditional Aston Martins, it was entirely handbuilt – with each car requiring 1,200 man-hours to finish. Aston Martin we ...
or the
Maserati Indy The Maserati Indy (''Tipo AM116'') is a four-seater fastback grand tourer produced by the Italian car manufacturer Maserati from 1969 to 1975. It was the first car produced by Maserati under Citroën ownership. History The Indy was conceived as ...
. During the production period, minor or major improvements or changes were continuously made to the series. The most striking of these was probably the complete redesign of the dashboard with the 1972/1973 vintage. Until then, it was more traditionally English in design, with a lot of wood and classical instruments, but from then on the Monteverdis presented themselves in a sportier style in a black velour design. Since the entire High Speed series was of handcrafted production, it can not be ruled out that Monteverdi executed detail designs to individual customer requirements. The final cars in this series were built in 1976.


High Speed 375 S, Berlinetta

Alongside the 2 + 2-seater Monteverdi reactivated his initially presented short chassis for another pure two-seater. This car received a bodywork that was significantly changed, with recessed headlamps and six round taillights. The two-seater with Fissore body was much less successful than the 2 + 2-seater type 375 L. Between 1969 and 1971, a total of six short coupés were made with Fissore bodies. One of them belongs today to the extensive car collection of the American talk show host
Jay Leno James Douglas Muir Leno ( ; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, and writer. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Tonight Show'' from 1992 until 200 ...
. In the winter of 1971/72, the 375 S was further developed into the Monteverdi Berlinetta. The tubular frame has been reinforced for improved torsional resistance; The car received a new front end with a narrow, over the entire width of the car radiator grille. Monteverdi emphasized the increased passive safety of the Berlinetta.


High Speed 375 C

In 1971 Monteverdi derived a convertible version called the 375 C from the short wheelbase 375 S. Unlike the 375 S, the convertible did not have six round taillights, rather it used the tail lights from the
Alfa Romeo Giulia Alfa Romeo Giulia () is the name of three not directly related model (line)s from Italian carmaker Alfa Romeo. The first were the four-door Type 105 entry-level compact executive sports sedans produced from 1962 to 1978; the second are the upda ...
as did the 375 L 2+2. The 375 C, painted yellow, was presented to the public at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show. The purchase price was given there as 75,750 Swiss francs. Overall, only two copies were made: One was sold to a client, while the second copy remained at the factory. In 1974, the second car was converted to the
Monteverdi Palm Beach The Monteverdi Palm Beach is a concept car built by Monteverdi (automobile), Monteverdi in March, 1975 on a shortened Monteverdi High Speed, Monteverdi High Speed 375C chassis. It was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show#1975, Geneva Motor Show ...
convertible, using body parts from the Monteverdi Berlinetta. Later, Monteverdi bought back the other 375 C; this car is now in Monteverdi's Automobile Museum and is occasionally shown at exhibitions.


High Speed 375/4

The culmination of the High Speed series was a large four-door sedan called the 375/4 which first appeared in 1971. The wheelbase of the vehicle was extended to 3.15 meters, while the key technical data - particularly the driveline - remained unchanged. The 375 L front end was retained until the A-pillar, followed by four wide-opening doors (with door handles from the
Fiat 128 The Fiat 128 is a transverse front-engine, front wheel drive small family car manufactured and marketed by Fiat from 1969 to 1985 as a two- or four-door sedan, three- or five-door station wagon as well as two- or three-door coupé. The 128 runn ...
), and a sharply drawn roof section. The belt line was largely horizontal, carried through to the long trunk. The interior was fully upholstered in leather and equipped with air conditioning, power windows, and on request a Sony TV and a bar. The car could be used as a chauffeured limousine, with several copies delivered with a partition between the driver and passenger compartments. External details were repeatedly modified, sometimes to meet the ever changing regulatory landscape of the 1970s and sometimes in response to customer requests. One late model, for example, was delivered with single rectangular headlamps borrowed from the
Ford Granada Ford Granada was a name used by the Ford Motor Company for two unrelated vehicles sold in different markets: * Ford Granada (Europe), built and marketed in Europe from 1972 to 1994 * Ford Granada (North America) The North American version of the ...
, a matte black radiator grille, and rubber-covered bumpers. The tail lights were originally from the
Alfa Romeo Giulia Alfa Romeo Giulia () is the name of three not directly related model (line)s from Italian carmaker Alfa Romeo. The first were the four-door Type 105 entry-level compact executive sports sedans produced from 1962 to 1978; the second are the upda ...
, as on the 375 L 2+2, but later these were replaced by
Triumph TR6 The Triumph TR6 is a sports car that was built by the Triumph Motor Company of England. While production began several months earlier, the TR6 was officially introduced in January as a 1969 model year vehicle. The last TR6 was produced on 20 J ...
units. Those lights had first been used by Monteverdi for the 1972 Berlinetta, and gave the sedan a more modern appearance.


Literature


Newspapers and Magazines

* ''Automobil Revue'' year books 1968, 1969, 1973, 1974 (technical specifications and annual changes) * * * * * *


References

{{Monteverdi timeline 1967-1995 High Speed Grand tourers Cars introduced in 1967 1970s cars 13. One was used in the film
Zeta One ''Zeta One,'' also known as ''The Love Slaves'', ''Alien Women'' and ''The Love Factor'', is a 1970 British comedy science fiction film directed by Michael Cort and starring James Robertson Justice, Charles Hawtrey and Dawn Addams. It was writt ...
(1969) with James Robertson &
Yutte Stensgaard Yutte Stensgaard (born 14 May 1946) is a Danish actress born in Thisted, Jutland, Denmark, best known for her starring role in Hammer's '' Lust for a Vampire'' (1971). Career Born Jytte Stensgaard, she moved to the United Kingdom to improve her ...