For Sale: 1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal in Saint Louis, Missouri

Alfa Romeo received a great honor in late 1966 when it was tapped to create a conceptual exhibit of man's aspiration for the automobile at the 1967 International and Universal Exposition, held in Montreal - better known as the Montreal Expo. Alfa assigned design duties to Bertone, and the project was spearheaded by Marcelo Gandini, the young designer who had recently catapulted to the forefront of automotive imagination with his stunning Lamborghini Miura.
Two prototypes were prepared for the exhibition, and Gandini did not disappoint. Using many of the same design cues from his extraordinary Miura, his new Alfa had a shark-like nose extending through a curved fender and shoulder haunches into a truncated tail. The fabulously cool headlight "blinds" and stacked horizontal vents on the C-pillar lent a futuristic look.
The fervent response from buyers was enough to prompt Alfa to develop a production version, based on the proven 105-series Giulia chassis, as with the Expo show cars. Because this was a special halo model, the Giulia's twin-cam inline-four would not suffice. Instead, the car got a modified, 2.6-liter version of the competition-pedigree V8 found in the Tipo 33 Stradale. With aluminum alloy construction, dual overhead cams, Spica fuel injection and a dry-sump lubrication system, the advanced race-derived engine ensured the aptly named Montreal had the performance to match its stellar looks.
Just 3,925 examples were built between 1971 and 1975. A landmark design from the great Marcelo Gandini, the Montreal has arguably grown to be Alfa's most iconic road car of the 1970s.
Resplendent in its super-seventies livery of orange over black and cream upholstery, this 1973 Montreal is an outstanding example benefitting from expert refurbishment and long-term ownership. A left-drive European spec car, it was sold new in the Netherlands, and the history file includes a number of prior Dutch registration certificates and owner's handbook. The first owner kept the car from new until 1989. Shortly after the 2nd owner acquired it, they began a cosmetic restoration, but the project unfortunately stalled, and the car spent some time in storage. It was not until 2017 when the third owner acquired it, handing it over to noted specialists Italclassic of Alicante, Spain for cosmetic and mechanical freshening.
The car was subsequently refinished to a very good standard in this flattering shade of orange, the interior faithfully retrimmed using period correct materials, and the car brought back to running order. The engine was reportedly rebuilt during the second owner's tenure, but to be safe, in 2018 it was serviced and tuned by Netherlands-based specialist Sam Van Lingen, to include new fluids, filters, and hoses. Van Lingen also fitted new injectors, tuned the Spica injection system, fitted new exhaust and an updated water pump bearing.
Details include factory Campagnolo wheels shod with period-correct Michelin Radial X tires, ensuring the car maintains a factory authentic appearance. That theme continues inside, with black vinyl trim, charcoal carpets, and beige seat inserts. The deep-dish wood rim wheel and proper switchgear remain in place.
With its exotic quad-cam fuel-injected V8, 5-speed gearbox, luxurious trimmings, and of course, outrageous Gandini styling, the Montreal represents the ultimate Alfa Romeo of the 1970s. This prime example needs little more than a new custodian to enjoy out on their favorite ribbons of tarmac where it will undoubtedly turn heads just as the original did in 1967.


Offers welcome, trades considered.