An almost 40 years old rear mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive (=the best possible combination) Lancia, that comes from only 1.123 coupe examples named Montecarlo. This one comes from the last year of production where only 452 coupes were built.
So it’s a quite rare model and this series with the two pairs of lights and the chromed mask introduced with the Delta model looks many levels better than the predecessor Beta Montecarlo series with the two boxy lights.
As the name of the type (137) suggests, it is the series car for the competition rally iconic beast Lancia 037. And when you see the car from a front angle, you really almost can’t tell if it is a Montecarlo or a 037.
The design comes from the Pininfarina studio, where the cars were also built. At first it should be driven by a 3-liter V6, but due to the oil crisis in 1970s, the motor was changed to 2-liter inline four-cylinder version „borrowed“ from Fiat 124 Sport Coupe. The MacPherson suspension, five-speed manual gearbox and the disc brakes completed it into a really modern sports car. The Lampredi motor output of 120 horse powers at 6.000 rpm pushes the not even one tone light car to speed over 190 km/h and in 9,3 seconds to one hundert km/h.
This Montecarlo was bought two years ago near Pisa, Italy from a heritage after 25 years at the previous owner and who called the car Bella. The car is decently modified by the previous owner, but the modified details make the car even better looking. But all the original parts also come with the car in this sale. It is a compact sports car with a height of only 1.190 mm and length of only 3.813 mm. And the weight is insanely light with only 960 kg! This makes the car a really agile and lively driver.
And the car was always perfectly cared for. It is very clean from outside and as well inside. The cabin is simply with analog dials, seats are modern for its time, it has the original radio and also the Momo steering wheel is original. The condition of the interior is almost completely original. The car has also only 41.000 kilometers on the clock.
This example has also the optional sport exhaust that gives the car the sound of a rally race car. The compact size makes it really look like a rallye race car, but the car has only a 122 horse power 2-liter engine. But that is combined with a weight of not even a tone and best possible layout, the rear mid-engine and rear-wheel-drive. So although the Montecarlo needs more than 9 seconds to 100 km/h and is not capable of maximum speed over 200 km/h, this car is ideal for accelerating through corners, the revs come up very quickly, it is a very agile and it sounds like you are in middle of a rally time trial. It cuts the corners perfectly, the car could easily handle at least 50 horse powers more.
This nicely modified Montecarlo has still the original interior, the modifications can be easily brought back to the original condition, also the original lights and wheels are included in the sale.
At the end, a market example from these days: This 1976 Lancia Scorpion (auction link), an american downsized 1,8 liter version of the Beta Montecarlo Mk I was sold on Bring a Trailer for 21.000 USD including premium on the 23rd of July.
Make Lancia Great Again!
Production date | 02.01.1981 |
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Body Type | Coupe |
Engine | 1995 ccm, Lampredi Inline 4 |
transmission | Manual |
Steering | Left Hand Drive |
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Layout | Rear Wheel Drive |
Color - exterior | Red |
Color - interior | Grey / Black |
Miles/Kilometers shown | 41000 kilometers |
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Chassis / VIN | ZLA137AS000004749 |
Location - Country | Czech Rep. |
Location - City | Prague |
• RWD (rear-wheel drive), manual 5-speed gearbox • gasoline (petrol) engine with displacement: 1995 cm3, advertised power: 88.3 kW / 118 hp / 120 PS, torque: 170.7 Nm • characteristic dimensions: outside length: 3813 mm, width: 1696 mm, wheelbase: 2300 mm • reference weights: base curb weight: 960 to 1040 kg • top speed: 195 km/h • accelerations: 0-100 km/h 9.3 s
Auctomobile
We have uploaded pictures of the underbody to the picture gallery and a video of the running engine.
Mlada Boleslav, Czechia
Jablonec nad Nisou, Czechia
Jablonec nad Nisou, Czechia
Prague, Czechia
Prague, Czechia
Pisek, Czechia
Henry the Second
Interesting addition also into the description with the Lancia Scorpion sold last week at Bring a Trailer for 21.000 USD. It could be an interesting Battle, the US version has only 1,8 liter engine, the car had 67k miles = 107k kilometres, almost three times more and with 2.080 examples built in the Series I it has double the examples to the Montecarlo Series II in this auction and it is not as nice as this one. If the Scorpion was for 21.000 USD, this one should go maybe even over the estimate of 25.000 to 30.000 EUR. Looking forward :)