Son of a wealthy garagiste whose business primarily catered to commercial vehicles, Peter Monteverdi was an extraordinary human being. Obsessed with speed, his racing career encompassed everything from a ‘homebrew’, Fiat-based Special he concocted as a sixteen year old in 1950 through to a ‘fledgling’, Porsche-engined Formula 1 car which he crashed nastily at Hockenheim eleven years later. In between times he had taken over the family business and diversified into high performance and luxury car sales. A mere twenty-three when he became Ferrari’s Swiss concessionaire during 1957, Monteverdi also held agencies for Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Jensen and Lancia. Not one to suffer fools gladly, a rumoured demand from Enzo Ferrari to order (and pay upfront for) 100 cars saw him part ways with Maranello. Like Ferrucio Lamborghni and Giotto Bizzarrini before him, Monteverdi decided to repay Il Commendatore’s slight by setting-up in opposition. Aimed squarely at the top end of the market, the resultant High Speed 375 S debuted to much acclaim at the 1967 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Taking a very ‘hands on’ approach, Monteverdi designed the newcomer’s substantial ‘square tube’ chassis frame to accommodate Alford & Adler independent double wishbone front suspension, a Watts linkage located De Dion back axle (complete with Salisbury limited slip differential), ZF power steering and Girling disc brakes. Named after its quoted SAE power output of 375hp, the model’s 440ci (7.2 litre) Chrysler V8 engine could be allied to either three-speed automatic or four-speed manual transmission. Interestingly, Chrysler’s 426ci (7 litre) ‘Hemi’ was listed as an option. Ludicrously expensive, the High Speed 375 S was priced at £10,250 making the £6,000 Ferrari 275GTB/4 and £4,995 Aston Martin DB6 look like comparative bargains! Frua were initially responsible for clothing the High Speed but their reluctance to commit to more than twenty cars per year saw Monteverdi switch allegiance to Fissore.
Arriving in 1969 shortly before bodywork production transferred from one Italian carrozzeria to the other, the High Speed 375 L (the ‘L’ standing for Luxury) featured a longer wheelbase, 2+2-seating and even more graceful lines. Reputedly styled with input from Monteverdi himself, the grand tourer is widely considered to be his most beautiful creation (as well as his most popular one). Contemporary road testers found the trans continental express capable of 0-60mph in under 7 seconds and some 150mph. Positioning the engine behind the front axle line aided with the claimed 50:50 weight distribution and resulted in less nose heavy dynamics than various of its peers. Cocooned in Connolly leather, occupants were more often than not treated to air-conditioning. Handbuilt across two series, a total of only sixty-six High Speed 375 L models are thought to have been made. Featuring wooden dashboards and less emission-strangled powerplants, the earlier cars are the most sought after. Vanishingly rare even by the standards of exotica, the Monteverdi has long had a cult following.
Notable as the first Monteverdi High Speed 375 L to have been bodied by Fissore, this exceptional example - chassis 1017 - has had just three keepers and covered a mere 62,000km (c.38,700 miles) from new. Retained by its initial custodian for a decade, his successor took the 2+2-seater off the road in 1984. Squirreled away for the next twenty-seven years, the svelte Coupe was authenticated by the curator of the Monteverdi Museum, Paul Berger, shortly after entering the current (third) ownership during 2011. Not long emerged from a nine-year long, ‘ground up’, rotisserie restoration, the High Speed 375 L looks absolutely stunning in Seychelles Blue Metallic with contrasting Ochre Connolly leather upholstery. The original, special order, high performance ‘TNT’ 440ci Big Block V8 engine has been comprehensively overhauled, blue printed, balanced and uprated to develop 450bhp. Breathing via a custom, two-inch stainless steel exhaust system, the Rat motor sounds predictably fantastic and is mated to a Chrysler four-speed A833 manual gearbox. The factory-fitted slush ‘box has been retained should a new owner wish to reinstate it. The suspension has been poly-bushed all-round and sports Koni shock absorbers to each corner. Wonderfully detailed throughout, ‘LWT 323H’ boasts small and large tool kits and rides on its original Borrani wire wheels (complete with ‘Hex’ spinners) which have been refurbished and shod with Michelin XWX tyres. A multiple concours d’elegance invitee, this ultra-rare and desirable Monteverdi would be the crown jewel in many a collection. Simply sensational!
