Alfa Romeo Montreal

Alfa Romeo Montreal

Manufacturer:	Alfa Romeo
Production:	1970–1977
Body Styles:	FR coupe
Weight:	1270kg
Number built:	3917
Engine Capacity:	2593cc V8
Engine Config:	V8 DOHC
Engine Bore/Stroke:	80mmx65mm
Enging Power:	200bhp@6500
Transmission	ZF 5-speed manual
Wheelbase	2.35 m
Length	4.22 m
Width	1.672 m
Height	1.205 m
Ground clearance
Weight	1270 kg
Top speed
fuel capacity	62.5 L
Top Speed	132mph
Designer	Marcello Gandini at Bertone

Side profile of Montreal

The Alfa Romeo Montreal is a 2+2 coupé automobile produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1970 to 1977.

Concept car

The Alfa Romeo Montreal was introduced as a concept car in 1967 at Expo 67, held in Montreal, Canada. Originally, the concept cars were displayed without any model name, but the public took to calling it The Montreal. It was a 2+2 coupe using the 1600 cc engine of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti and the chassis of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT, with a body designed by Marcello Gandini at Bertone. One of the two concept cars built for Expo 67 is displayed in the Alfa Romeo Historical Museum in Arese, Italy, while the other is in museum storage.

Production version

Alfa Romeo Montreal C pillar

The first production car, Tipo 10564, was shown at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show and was quite different from the original, using a 2593 cc 90° dry-sump lubricated V8 engine with SPICA (Società Pompe Iniezione Cassani & Affini) fuel injection that produced around 200 PS, coupled to a five-speed ZF gearbox and a limited-slip differential. This engine was derived from the 2-litre V8 used in the 33 Stradale and in the Tipo 33 sports prototype racer. The chassis and running gear of the production Montreal were taken from the Giulia GTV coupé and comprised double wishbone suspension with coil springs and dampers at the front and a live axle with limited slip differential at the rear.

Since the concept car was already unofficially known as The Montreal, Alfa Romeo kept the model name in production.

Stylistically, the most eye catching feature is the car's front end with four headlamps partly covered by unusual "grilles", that retract when the lights are switched on. Another stylistic element is the NACA duct on the bonnet. The duct is actually blocked off since its purpose is not to draw air into the engine, but to optically hide the power bulge. The slats behind the doors contain the cabin vents, but apart from that only serve cosmetic purposes.

Production

Production was split between the Alfa Romeo plant in Arese and Carrozzeria Bertone's plants in Caselle and Grugliasco outside Turin. Alfa Romeo produced the chassis sans engine or mechanicals and sent it to Caselle where Bertone fitted the body. After body fitment, the car was sent to Grugliasco to be degreased, partly zinc coated, manually spray painted and have the interior fitted. Finally, the car was returned to Arese to have the engine and mechanicals installed. It is worth noting that because of this production method, there is not necessarily any correspondence between chassis number, engine number and production date.

The Montreal remained generally unchanged until it was discontinued in 1977. By then, production had long ceased already as Alfa were struggling to sell their remaining stock. Total number built was 3917; none of them were sold in Montreal, Quebec since Alfa did not develop a North American version to meet the US/Canadian emission control requirements. A Montreal can be seen in 1974 The Marseille Contract movie where Michael Caine drives a metallic dark brown example.

Performance and specifications

Montreal engine

Engine: 2593 cc quad-cam 90° V8
Top speed: 220 km/h
0-100 km/h (62 mph): 7.4 seconds
- (measured top speed 224 km/h, 7.1 seconds 0-100 km/h (62 mph) by Quattroruote magazine)
Standing quarter mile: 15.1 seconds
Standing km: 27.6 seconds
Power: 200 PS (230 bhp SAE) at 6500 rpm
Torque: 235 Nm(24 m·kgf) at 4750 rpm

Gallery

1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal

1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal 1.jpg
1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal 2.jpg
1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal 3.jpg
1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal 4.jpg
1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal 5.jpg
1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal 8.jpg
1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal 9.jpg
1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal 10.jpg

Video

How the lights work...

Trivia

Michael Caine drives a metallic dark brown Montreal in the 1974 movie The Marseille Contract
One of the two prototypes built for Expo 67 remains in Museo Storico Alfa Romeo in Arese, Italy.

External links

The Alfa Romeo Montreal Website
Alfa Romeo Montreal Video
The Montreal: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]

<- Previous	Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A., a subsidiary of the Fiat S.p.A. since 1986, car timeline, 1946-1979																												Next ->
Type	1950s										1960s										1970s
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Small family car											Dauphine*												Alfasud
Compact executive car						Giulietta (750/101)
														Giulia															Giulietta (116)
																		1750						Alfetta
Executive car	1900								2000			2600											2000							Alfa 6
Cabriolet	1900								2000			2600
Coupé					Giulietta																						Sprint
														Giulia												Alfetta GT/GTV and GTV6
	1900								2000			2600
Roadster																	Spider
																Gran Sport Quattroruote
Sports car	…6C 2500																				Montreal
																		33 Stradale
Off-road			Matta
Racing car														TZ/GTA
	…158/159																	Tipo 33												177
*Dauphine was produced under Renault license

Alfa Romeo S.P.A.
1910-1920	24hp \| 40-60hp \| Castagna \| Torpedo \| RL \| RM \| P1 \| P2 \| 6c 1500 \| 6c 1750darkorange
1920-1940	1750 Drophead \| 8c 2300 \| 6c \| 6c 1900 \| 6c 2300 \| 8c 2900 \| 12 cylinder \| P3 \| 1935 Twin-engine
1940-1950	158 \| 6c 2500
1950-1960	1900 \| AR 51 The Matta \| Disco Volante \| Giulietta \| 1.3 \| 2000
1960-1970	Giulia \| Super 1600 \| TI \| Sprint Speciale \| Alfa Romeo TZ \| Alfa Romeo GTA \| Alfa Romeo 2600 \| Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 \| Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale \| Spider Veloce \| 1750
1970-1980	Montreal (1970–1977) \| Alfasud (1972–1983) \| Alfetta (1972–1977) \| Arna \| Berlina \| GTV \| Guilia Nuova Super 1300
1980-1990	GTV \| GTV6 \| Sprint \| 33 (1983–1994) \| Alfa 6 (1979-1984)\| 90 (1984–1986) \| Alfa Romeo Milano (Euro 75) (1985–1992) \| 164 (1987–1998)
1990-2000	SZ \| GTV (1995–present) \| Spider (1998–present) \| 145 (1995–2001) \| 146 (1995–2001) \| 155 (1992–1998) \| 156 - GTA (1997–present) \| 166 (1998–present)
2000 onwards	GT (2004–present) \| 147 - GTA (2001–present) \| 159 \| 167 (2007?) \| Brera (Preview-2005) \| Spyder (2007?) \| Kamal (Expected-2007)
Concept Cars	33.2 · Carabo · Diva · Navajo · BAT series · Disco Volante · 2000 Sportiva · Kamal · Nuvola · Scighera · Visconti · Full List
Fiat Group brands	Abarth \| Alfa Romeo \| Autobianchi \| Ferrari \| Fiat \| Lancia \| Innocenti \| Maserati
Fiat Group Corporate Website \| Fiat Auto Website

Bertone Designs

Abarth: 1952 Abarth 1500 Coupé | 1958 Abarth 1000 GT Coupé | 1965 Abarth OT 1000 Spider