SWISS HIGH-ROLLER

The Basel-based supercar-builder Monteverdi was long shrouded in mystery. After a lifetime of dreaming about it, Marc Sonnery finally gets to drive its definitive GT: the Berlinetta 

MONTEVERDI BERLINETTA

For such a shortlived marque, the power of the Monteverdi myth in the collective imagination of car enthusiasts is remarkable. Its story began in 1967 and ended in 1982, and in its day so little information about the company was available that it was almost a secret. To see one at the Geneva show, on a prominent stand near those of Maserati, Ferrari and Lamborghini, was genuinely awe-inspiring.

The strong-willed and mercurial Peter Monteverdi was a high achiever, mixing a racing career with time as the Swiss importer of various marques, not to mention being the driving force behind the ultra-rare mid-engined Hai supercar. Yet it is his company’s 375 that stands out, having entered series production even if the exact number built has always been a hot topic among Monteverdi aficionados.

It began with the 375S, engineered in the Basel suburb of Binningen on a beefy squaretube chassis, with a 7.2-litre Chrysler V8 and TorqueFlite automatic transmission. In choosing a big Detroit V8, Monteverdi wasn’t simply following the likes of Iso, de Tomaso, Jensen and others: he had acquired its marine V8 for his first boat, followed by a pair of them for his Riva. So the relationship was already there and, if you want a big V8 for a supercar, well, 7.2 litres isn’t a bad starting point.

The engine was positioned as far back as possible in the 375’s chassis, allowing for weight distribution of 50.1:49.9. Monteverdi had wanted the bodies built in Switzerland but soon realised that was neither practical nor affordable. The solution lay south of the Alps. After meetings with various carrozzerie he settled on Pietro Frua. The Turin firm would provide bare bodies for the Binningen firm to mount to the chassis before fitting glass and interiors.