Automobile Monteverdi
| Automobile Monteverdi AG
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|---|---|
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| legal form | Corporation |
| founding | 1967 |
| Seat | Binningen , Switzerland |
The Automobile Monteverdi AG is a former Swiss manufacturer of luxury automobiles, the 1967 by Peter Monteverdi was founded in Binningen was a resident. In the mid-1980s, Monteverdi stopped producing passenger cars. In 1990 Monteverdi briefly ran a Formula 1 racing team.
history
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Monteverdi built, sold and drove a variety of custom-made products, while at the same time expanding his father's auto repair shop into a Ferrari , BMW and Lancia brand . Monteverdi was the youngest Ferrari dealer in the world at the time. For a short time he also had the English brands Jensen, Rolls-Royce and Bentley on offer.
Peter Monteverdi began designing vehicles as early as the 1950s. First and foremost, these were racing cars. The first models, which were unique pieces or experienced only limited distribution, were sold under the name MBM . Apart from a handful of racing cars for Formula Junior (and a derivative based on Formula 1 configuration), a closed coupé with a plastic body and Ford engine that was built in 1956 and which is said to be produced in small series and which is one of the most important Unique piece as a Barchetta with OSCA engine was put aside. In addition, Monteverdi dressed a Ferrari Monza in 1958 after removing the factory body with a self-designed body. The vehicle remained a one-off. It existed until the 1990s; then it was restored by its British owner and returned to its original Ferrari body.
In 1965 there was a falling out between Monteverdi and Ferrari. Peter Monteverdi then decided to build up production of his own exclusive and luxurious sports and touring cars. In the first sales brochures the brand was still called MBM; shortly afterwards - allegedly at the instigation of the editor-in-chief of the Swiss Automobile Review - the certainly more prestigious name Monteverdi was chosen as the company name.
Between 1967 and 1984 Monteverdi produced a total of eight different vehicle types, mostly with various modifications, and the plant also presented a number of studies and prototypes.
Monteverdi gave up the production of passenger cars in 1984, according to some sources in 1987. Although several other models were planned in the following years and in some cases prototypes were built - for example a refined version of a Ford Granada II - none of the vehicles reached production. The factory was transformed into a museum, the Monteverdi Car Collection opened in Binningen in 1985 . In addition to some Monteverdi models, the museum initially showed other classics, including some Iso Rivolta Grifo. The latter, however, were sold around 1990, after which the Monteverdi Museum dealt exclusively with vehicles of its own brand. Peter Monteverdi bought back many of his cars during this period, and today there is at least one of every type of vehicle that Monteverdi has ever made in the museum.
In 1990 Peter Monteverdi returned to the public by running a racing team in Formula 1 for a short time . The technical remnants of this venture were used for one last car, the Monteverdi Hai 650 F1 , a sports car with Formula 1 components and without road approval.
The Automobile Monteverdi AG still exists as a company in Basel; The owner is Peter Monteverdi's long-time partner Paul Berger. Since 2013 there have been reports of a comeback of the brand. Berger is then planning a new vehicle with the brand name Monteverdi, which will be presented at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show on the occasion of the brand's 50th anniversary. The museum in Binningen, however, will be closed at the end of 2016. Some of the vehicles will in future be shown in the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne.
vehicles
Monteverdi High Speed 375
With the models of the Monteverdi High Speed 375 series, Peter Monteverdi started producing his own sports cars in the fall of 1967. Conceptually, these vehicles combined American drive technology - in this case from Chrysler - with Italian bodies, which were initially designed by Pietro Frua and later by Carrozzeria Fissore . Monteverdi offered various structures; the range included coupés (375 L, 375 S and 375 Berlinetta with short wheelbase), convertibles (375 C and Palm Beach) and a sensational four-door sedan (375/4).
The high-speed range was significant for Monteverdi. It established the company's reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality sports cars that still exists today.
The extent to which the high-speed series was produced is unknown. Peter Monteverdi never released specific figures. What is certain, however, is that the Coupé 375 L is the most frequently produced model in the high-speed series. The 375/4 sedan also became more widespread, with production figures fluctuating between 13 and 28 units. All other models were only produced in a few copies, some of them remained individual pieces.
Monteverdi shark 450
The two-seater, mid - engined sports car Hai 450 , which was built in two versions as the Hai 450SS and the Hai 450 GTS, occupied a special position . This is a hatchback coupé that was equipped with an American eight-cylinder and caused a sensation in the early 1970s with reports of breathtaking top speeds. In total, only two vehicles were built:
- The 450 SS presented in 1970 was equipped with an eight-cylinder Chrysler engine of the 426 Street Hemi type (7.0 liter displacement) which, according to the SAE standard used in the USA, delivered around 425 hp. The car has been redesigned several times in detail to give the impression that it is different copies.
- The 450 GTS presented in 1973 had been lengthened by 50 mm. It was powered by a seven-liter eight-cylinder engine from Chrysler (type Hemi 426), which was now equipped with aluminum cylinder heads. Monteverdi put the power of the engine at 450 DIN PS.
- In addition, two factory replicas were made in 1990 that were not sold.
The Monteverdi Hai were a losing proposition in isolation. The cost of developing and building the car was offset by the lack of sales. However, it is doubtful whether Monteverdi actually planned series production of the shark. The concept had been developed too hastily for that, and the whole car was not fully developed. Overall, it gave the impression of a beautiful, but unsuitable temporary arrangement. For Peter Monteverdi it was probably all about maintaining interest in the Monteverdi brand and in the coupés produced in series with an “eye-catcher”. Seen in this way, the sharks have served their purpose.
The Hai got an indirect successor of the same name in the early 1990s with the Hai 650 F1.
Off-road vehicle
At the time of the first oil crisis , sales of the heavy, thirsty sports cars declined. While competitors such as Iso Rivolta and Jensen stumbled and ultimately failed, Peter Monteverdi managed to completely realign his company and ultimately save it through the late 1970s. From 1976, Monteverdi relied on the comparatively new concept of luxuriously equipped off-road vehicles with a total of three different models. These vehicles, which in turn combined American high-volume technology with elegant Italian bodies, sold brilliantly in Europe as well as in the Near and Middle East; they reached a total of four-digit numbers. The off-road vehicles remained in the program until 1982. The Monteverdi Safari was by far the most successful Monteverdi model, and the company made very good money from the vehicles. The following models were created:
Monteverdi Sahara
The Monteverdi Sahara was a barely modified International Scout , sporting a new grille, improved interior, and modified bumpers. The similarity to the original vehicle was obvious. Only a few copies of the Sahara were sold.
Monteverdi Safari
The Monteverdi Safari was also based on the technology of the International Scout; here, however, the original vehicle was much more alienated. The car had a separate body that had been designed and manufactured by Fissore; different engines were also available.
Range Rover Monteverdi
In parallel to the production of the Safari models, Monteverdi soon had the opportunity to manufacture real Range Rovers.
Going back to a request from British Leyland Switzerland in 1976, Monteverdi developed a four-door version of the Range Rover, which debuted in Geneva in 1979 and was built 167 times by Monteverdi in the following two years. Most copies were sold in Switzerland, some also went to Great Britain, including two which the British royal family moved. From 1982 Rover took over the production itself, but let Monteverdi participate in the success of the model through regular license payments.
Monteverdi Sierra
Monteverdi also implemented the concept of boutique cars in the passenger car sector : In the fall of 1976, the Monteverdi Sierra was presented, a medium-sized sedan with a decidedly inconspicuous design. In fact, the Sierra was an intensely refined vehicle that was largely based on high-volume technology. The donor car was largely taken over unchanged; in the end only details of the exterior design and the interior were changed. The base vehicle of the Sierra was the Dodge Aspen presented in America in 1976 or its clone Plymouth Volaré ; Carrozzeria Fissore mainly redesigned the front and rear. A 5.2 liter eight-cylinder with quadruple carburetor from Chrysler and an output of 160 hp or the 5.9 liter version with around 185 hp, which was referred to as the “hot version” in a sales brochure, served as the drive . The standard model was a four-door sedan, a convertible and a station wagon were also produced in individual pieces.
The Sierra was manufactured from 1977 to 1982. The number of vehicles produced is not known; a Swiss body shop claims to have manufactured around 20 sierras.
Monteverdi tiara
The tiara was the successor to the Sierra. It was based on the S-Class from Mercedes-Benz , whose technical components, including the passenger cell and glazing, were taken over by Monteverdi unchanged. The car was given its own front and rear sections, which only harmonized to a limited extent with the flowing lines of the original vehicle. The large eight-cylinder engines from Mercedes-Benz with a displacement of 3.8 liters and 5.0 liters respectively served as the drive. Peter Monteverdi planned to sell the tiara through Mercedes dealers from 1982 onwards. However, serial production did not materialize. In 1982 at least three exhibition vehicles were built; It is not known whether further individual pieces were produced.
Shark 650 F1
The Hai 650 F1 was launched as an indirect successor to the model of the same name from the 1970s and was presented in Geneva in 1992. As usual at Monteverdi, there is no mention of production figures, but it is likely that the number was in the single digits. The sports car used components from the Formula 1 racing cars of the Onyx Monteverdi team. A 3.5 liter Cosworth eight-cylinder with almost 477 kW (650 hp) served as the drive. The transmission and drivetrain were also adopted, as was most of the chassis. The vehicle was not approved for road use in Europe.
Technical specifications:
- Ford Cosworth Formula 1 V8 with 3.5 liter displacement and 650 hp at 11,000 rpm
- 6-speed manual transmission, mid-engine, rear-wheel drive
- Weight about 850 kg
Driving performance:
- 0–200 km / h in 8 seconds
- Top speed: 335.0 km / h (208.2 mph)
Prototypes and one-offs
- In 1958, when he was active as a racing driver and before the MBM brand was founded, Peter Monteverdi built a Ferrari Monza competition vehicle in his workshop in Binningen, which he had driven in races in the previous year, into a roadworthy coupé for the Basel industrialist Alfred Hopf with double doors around. After several changes of ownership, the car ended up in Great Britain, where it was returned to its original condition in the early 1990s after the Monteverdi body was removed.
- In 1960 Peter Monteverdi built the MBM Sport. With 100 HP and only 425 kg, the one-off was one of the fastest of its time. One vehicle, two transmissions, that's how the MBM Sport 100 was built in 1960, as an open sports car trimmed for low weight with an Osca double camshaft engine, a four-speed transmission at the front and a five-speed transmission at the rear. The engine rested behind the front axle, four Dunlop disc brakes ensured deceleration was appropriate for the species, all wheels were individually suspended, and the rear disc brakes were even moved to the center for minimal sprung mass. The "Wobbly" wheels were made of electron, a lightweight magnesium alloy. The front gearbox was used to change gears while driving, while the rear gearbox could be used to vary the final gear ratio in five stages. A lightweight tubular frame construction was welded together, and the Basel bodybuilder Peter Häner “pushed” a Barchetta body made from thin aluminum sheet, based on the ideas of Peter Monteverdi. Peter Monteverdi was already thinking about series production, at least he printed sales brochures and exhibited the car at the London racing car show in December 1961. The car was supposed to cost 29,000 Swiss Francs, 50 percent more than a Porsche 356 Super 90 or slightly more expensive than a Jaguar E-Type, but the car remained a one-off.
- The Monteverdi 2000 GT was presented in 1968 as a small sports coupé with a hatchback body by Pietro Frua , which - unlike the models in the 375 series - largely relied on high-volume components from BMW in mechanical terms. One of the plans was to use a 2.0 liter four-cylinder from BMW. The elegant coupe caused quite a stir. According to contemporary press reports, Peter Monteverdi was planning a production in larger series; However, this idea is said to have failed in the end because of resistance from BMW, where the attractive car was seen as a considerable competition to its own products.
- After the off-road vehicle Safari had proven to be extremely successful, Peter Monteverdi also wanted to do business with the Swiss Army. To this end, he developed a purely functional off-road vehicle in the Land Rover style. This vehicle, known as the Military 230, was equipped with the four-cylinder engine from International Harvester, which was already known from the Sahara, and was presented to the public at the 1979 Geneva Motor Show. Shortly afterwards, a civil version 250 Z and a forward control model 260 F with similar technology were created. This series was to be produced by the Swiss truck factory Saurer (where Peter Monteverdi completed his apprenticeship as a young man). But that never happened, the three prototypes that are now in the Monteverdi Museum in Basel-Binningen remained.
- At the 1980 Geneva Motor Show, Monteverdi presented a Coupé called the 2.8 turbo based on the then current Ford Granada. However, this exhibit was only a 1: 1 wooden model - although it looked deceptively real - and not a ready-to-drive car. According to his own statement, Peter Monteverdi did not want to build this type himself, but rather sell the prototype and rights for production by others - preferably Ford. Neither did it happen, nor was an announced five-door version of this model ever realized.
Monteverdi in motorsport
Monteverdi's roots are in motorsport. Long before Peter Monteverdi started building his own road sports car, he was involved in racing cars. Between 1958 and 1990 there were two independent engagements of Peter Monteverdi in motorsport, which did not overlap with the production of road vehicles. In contrast to some competitors such as de Tomaso or Iso Rivolta , who appeared temporarily in Formula 1 in 1970 and 1974, respectively, Monteverdi did not use motorsport as a sales-promoting instrument.
MBM
Monteverdi's first appearances in motorsport took place under the name MBM , an abbreviation that is usually described as Monteverdi Binningen Motors . Between 1958 and 1961, Peter Monteverdi designed a few small cars for Formula Junior that used a DKW engine tuned by Mantzel. In some sources, MBM is therefore also interpreted as the abbreviation for Monteverdi Binningen Mantzel . The crowning glory of this development was the MBM Formula 1 , a small Formula 1 racing car that used a Porsche engine. Peter Monteverdi drove it himself in a few hill climbs and on the Solitude . The car was also registered for Peter Monteverdi and MBM at the 1961 German Grand Prix . Before the race, Monteverdi had a serious accident with this car, whereupon he immediately withdrew from motorsport.
onyx
In 1990, Peter Monteverdi and the Swiss entrepreneur Karl Foitek bought the Formula 1 team Onyx Grand Prix , which was founded in 1989 and which was then sometimes referred to as Monteverdi-Onyx or Onyx-Monteverdi . The reason was basically the concern to give Foitek's son, Gregor Foitek , who had previously failed at Brabham , another chance as a driver in Formula 1. For this purpose the established and experienced regular driver Stefan Johansson was dismissed after two races. The team had almost no sponsors. It survived in dire financial straits and from spring 1990 was mainly operated by mechanics from Peter Monteverdi's car museum. After the tenth of 16 races, it no longer competed. Peter Monteverdi himself designed a Formula 1 model for the 1991 season. The cars were made, but were no longer used. They are now in Monteverdi's museum.
Sources and sources
The history of the Monteverdi brand is still unclear in many details. This applies primarily to the production figures, but also to details of the production processes and business relationships with other companies. There are many myths about the cars and the brand, not least supported by Peter Monteverdi himself, but at least tolerated. The official chronicle of the brand, the book “Monteverdi - Career of a Swiss Brand” by Roger Gloor and Carl Wagner, does not always help; As a works-supported publication, it draws the “official” image of the brand that Peter Monteverdi wanted to show, at least in part. Many magazine publications take up this information uncritically and thus provide details that do not always apply.
- Roger Gloor, Carl Wagner: Monteverdi - Development of a Swiss Brand, 1980 (out of print). Factory-supported chronicle of the Monteverdi brand
- Automobil Revue , catalog numbers 1968, 1969 and 1973 (technical data)
- auto motor und sport : Alpentraum , test of a Monteverdi High speed 375 L in issue 12/1972 from June 10, 1972.
- auto motor und sport : handicrafts . Presentation of the Monteverdi program and short biography of Peter Monteverdi in the 13/1978 issue.
- auto motor und sport : Swiss Made , presentation of the Monteverdi Sierra and driving report in issue 6/1977.
- auto motor und sport : With the Monteverdi through the vineyards , travel report and impression of a trip with a Monteverdi High Speed 375 L in the 25/1996 issue.
- Bernd Wieland: Schwarz-Brenner , presentation of a late black lacquered Monteverdi High Speed 375/4 with numerous studio photos and a short, not always accurate depiction of the model history in: Motor Klassik, No. 1/2003, p. 52 ff.
- Great opera. Portrait of the Swiss automobile brand Monteverdi with several studio photos of the High Speed 375 Frua in: AutoFocus, issue 2/1998, p. 38 ff.
- Wolfgang Blaube: Hai Live , in: Oldtimer Markt , 2/2006. Documentation about the Monteverdi Hai 450 SS.
- Mark Siegenthaler, Marco Schulze: With a hard hand and a big heart, the life and work of Peter Monteverdi.
- Roger Gloor, Carl L. Wagner: Monteverdi - History of a Swiss Car Brand. 2016, ISBN 978-3-033-05953-5 .
Web links
- Private Monteverdi website
- Monteverdi car museum Binningen
- Detailed description of the history of Pietro Frua, his work and relations with Monteverdi
- “With a hard hand and a big heart, the life and work of Peter Monteverdi”: Contribution to Monteverdi in SwissClassics No. 20, 04/2008 on the website www.ruedi-wenger.ch
Individual evidence
- ↑ Peter de Marchi: Binninger dream car shortly before comeback. Report of November 23, 2013 in the www.bazonline.ch Basler Zeitung (accessed on February 25, 2014).
- ↑ Roger Gloor, Carl Wagner: "Monteverdi - Development of a Swiss Brand", 1980 (out of print). Factory-supported chronicle of the Monteverdi brand, p. 201.
- ↑ SwissClassics Revue No. 20, 04/2008
| Timeline of the Monteverdi models | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | 8th | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | |
| limousine | High Speed 375/4 | Sierra | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| tiara | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Station wagon | Sierra | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Convertible | High speed 375 C. | Palm Beach | Sierra | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coupe | High speed 375 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 GTI | Berlinetta | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Supercar | Shark 450 | Shark 650 F1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Off-road vehicle | safari | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sahara | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 250 Z | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kübelwagen | 230 M. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| minibus | 260 F | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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