V8-Powered Supercar: 1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal
We’ve discussed the fact that certain vehicles make their way from the concept car stage into production with only nominal adjustments as the clay model involves into a vehicle you can actually buy. The Dodge Viper comes to mind, along with the Plymouth Prowler. From an import standpoint, the first-generation Porsche Boxster didn’t deviate too much from the concept stage. But well before any of those models came to light, the Alfa Romeo Montreal was one of the best examples of a cutting-edge design morphing into the production stage quite seamlessly. This 1972 Montreal here on eBay still runs and drives but has been stored for many years; the seller is asking $70,000 or best offer.
The Montreal was styled by Bertone and featured a 2+2 design with a 2.6L V8 mounted up front. That displacement figure makes you do a double take, especially when you realize Alfa managed to extract nearly 200 horsepower out of a relatively small engine. The engineering behind many Alfa models of this vintage really did features a direct path between the company’s storied competition history to its production models, and the Montreal also packed a limited-slip differential and SPICA fuel injection. The styling is as much a feature of the car as the mechanical components, with a striking front end design known for its partially obscured headlights.
The interior was classic Alfa, with the wood-rimmed steering wheel, driver-focused controls, and supportive bucket seats. Putting that snorty V8’s power to ground was a ZF 5-speed manual gearbox, and unlike other Italian sports cars at the time, Montreal drivers could bring a few passengers with them as well. The seller’s car remains in good shape inside and out, with the dash showing no cracks, the headliner is intact, and the numerous switches on the center stack all appear to be accounted for. A period-correct Blaupunkt head unit is the only major deviation from stock condition.
The seller has a nice assortment of classics shown in the background of his photos, and he clearly has a panache for vehicles that can make their way around a road course, quickly, without having gluttonous amounts of horsepower. Numerous Alfa Romeos, a first-generation Honda CRX, BMW 2002s, Porsche 911, and a few other British roadsters round out what looks like a great assortment of driver’s cars. The Montreal comes up for sale rarely, and to seller’s point, especially in a color other than red. The asking price seems fair to me, but I’m a sucker for obscure models like the Montreal. Have you ever driven one?
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Comments
I have never driven one but have always had a soft spot for these cars. May not be the best handling car for the era or the fastest but they sure are pretty to look at and make all the glorious noises of an Italian sports car.
Location:
Morristown, New Jersey
Got drunk 🥴 in Montreal at the Peel Pub drinking $9 pitchers 🍺 of Laurèntide ale.
Jay Leno has one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwLQ7jbdVV0&t=981s
I’ve owned several Montreals when they were under the radar in the early 2000’s and in the $18-25K range …it was 2012 when the European car market virtually exploded and these relatively unknown cars became popular. An Italian exotic with a V8 became very desirable for collectors on a budget …The only downside in my experience was the atrocious SPICA Fuel Injection which most frustrated owners replaced with Weber carbs ..Lucky for me my neighbor owned a European Repair shop who sorted my issued with the SPICA system
When I lived in Denver there was a small car show in the winter time I went to with a Montreal there and since I was driving my ALFA GTV and was a member of the local club I took the chance and asked if I could sit inside. The owner just smiled and opened the door and said certainly. This is just if not more amazing on the inside. There is no photo of the instrument cluster in the ad but I am attaching one as it shows the level of design that went into this car. Is it perfect no, not even close, the “A” pillars are too thick, as are the “C” pillars which really reduce visibility to the rear more than on would like and the rear window seemed small. The entire interior was not as open and light as was my GTV. But that Dash and the seats, driving position was almost spot on perfect. I think it needed more power but that was back in the day considered to be acceptable. I am going to try to attach a photo of the dash. Well that did not work but here is the link. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/426364289734478208/
$70000 is a fair price for a good Montreal & this is one of the bedt colour schemes for the model. The colour palette was wide for Montreals, most were not red.
I had a metallic green example 10 years ago for a couple of years. The SPICA needed sorting. Ironically in Europe SPICA is little known and Sal Monella is correct that some Montreals were converted to carbs. In 2024, it is much easier to find parts and knowledge.
By no means my favourite Alfa ( a view shared by other Alfisti who have bought but not kept Montreals). Montreal catches a lot of attention, but fails in most dynamic areas. You can fix the brakes and hanling with $ 5000 of Alfaholics parts which would be my firm advice.
Not very fast, won’t get 200 miles on a full tank, horrible blind spots in traffic. Not fast but sounds good etc.
I would always take a well-sorted GTV6 over a Montreal and have €40K left over.
I’ve seen these cars before and asked what the heck is that? Italian car makers have turned out the best looking cars in the world, but this one doesn’t appear to be one of them. This Alfa looks more like a French car with tack-ons, than a Bertone body. The 2.6L V-8 sounds like an interesting power plant though. I would buy a Giulia Sprint GT and still have money left over for pasta.
I luv the looks of these, seems like a fair price. Leno where you at?
I just watched one sell at Gooding announced as a concours restoration in red for 45K
Since Alfa chose not to federalize these cars, they were fairly rare in the US. I had a chance to spend an afternoon driving one helping a friend transport his customers high end Italian car collection two at a time to a concourse meet fairly close by. A couple of Lambo’s, a couple of Maserati’s, one Ferrari and we used the Alfa as the chase car. I drove a Lambo, a Maserati and on the last trip, the Alfa. What a cool car! When my friend asked which car I enjoyed the most, with no hesitation I said the Alfa! When he asked me why, I told him it reminded me of a 65 Mustang GT that I had owned, and that was a good thing. Good handling, good acceleration, poor visability, and a Long hood to look over. A couple of weeks later, after spending some time in the Montreal, he agreed.
They are very cool cars, and this one appears to be a good example.
Wantreal…
Although I’ve owned a ’65 Giulia Spider for 32 years and always been interested in the Montreal, I have yet to drive one. This one looks super-clean and original, but I can’t see the dent in the LF fender that the seller mentions. There was an almost perfect one in orange for sale in Denver for $80,000, but you don’t find these every day.
This is not a hard-core sports car. It’s a Grant Touring car that your lady can feel comfortable in, You can arrive at that country inn without being sweaty, windblown, sunburnt, and sore.
First time I ever read about one of these was a color picture book of exotics my mom bought me when I was around 12. Im still going through piles of stuff in mom and dads attic in hopes to find that book. It had a 33 record in the back with engine sounds too.
Like on some Ferraris, i’m not sure if i could get used to the somewhat bus/truck angle of the steering wheel.