1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal

Alfa Romeo has produced a great number of very special cars during its 105-plus years of existence. Most of them, though, started life as bare chassis, where coachbuilders like Touring, Ghia, Zagato, and Vignale put incredible bodies on them. Once in a while, Alfa did a special limited production model. Most recently, it was the 8C Competizione. Almost 50 years ago, Alfa answered the call to interpret the theme of the Montreal Expo 67—“man’s highest aspiration” for automobiles. Alfa’s answer was the Montreal.

The task to design the car for the Expo went to Marcello Gandini, at Bertone. The prototype car has been described as “provocative,” with a “heavily lidded, sexy look” because of the partially covered headlights, smooth hood, and pointed nose. Two identical cars, both with Alfa’s dual-overhead-cam, 1600-cc engine from the Giulia series, appeared in the Expo.