The Lancia Montecarlo (Type 137) is a Pininfarina-designed two-seater, mid-enginedsports car manufactured and marketed by Lancia in Italy for model years 1975-1981, across two series.
The first series (1975-1978) were marketed as the Lancia Beta Montecarlo and the second series (1980-1981) as the Lancia Montecarlo.[3] In both cases Montecarlo was spelled as one word, unlike the city of Monte Carlo. Both series were offered in Coupé and Spider bodystyles, the latter featuring a unique roll-back manually-operated targa style convertible top. A modified version of the Spider was marketed in the United States as the Lancia Scorpion(1976-1977).
Total production spanned from 1974 to 1982 with a hiatus in 1979 — reaching 7,798 total.[4] 3,558 first series and 817 second series targa models were manufactured; along with 2,080 first series and 1,123 second series coupé models — as well as 220 competition models built (Lancia 037).
Design
First series Beta Montecarlo
Fiat commissioned Pininfarina to design and develop the replacement for its 124 Coupe. Bertone came up with less expensive alternative, which became the Fiat X1/9. Pininfarina continued with its project called Fiat X1/8 that called for a mid-engined sports car with a 3-litre V6 motor. The X1/8 project was to be Pininfarina’s first ever car to be wholly developed and built in-house rather than basing on existing production car.[5][6]
Initial design work was done by 1969, and a final design by Paolo Martin was completed in 1971.
During the first oil crisis in the 1970s, the project was renamed "X1/20", and the motor was changed to a 2-litre four-cylinder version. The first X1/20 prototype was Fiat Abarth SE 030 for racing in 1974. After the racing season of 1974, Fiat terminated its Abarth SE 030 programme. The X1/20 project was given to Lancia, who wanted a premium alternative to Fiat's X1/9 halo car.
For a premium level of equipment, Lancia had the new 1,995 cc variant of the twin-cam four-cylinder motor from the Fiat 124 Sport Coupé, MacPherson suspension and again like the 124 Sport Coupé, a five-speed gearbox and disc brakes both front and rear. As the resulting Montecarlo shared very few components with the other Beta models, Pininfarina was chosen to build the car in its entirety.
The Montecarlo was available as a fixed head "Coupé" and as an open-roof "Spider" with a large folding canvas roof between solid A and B pillars.
Beta Montecarlo production figures*
Body
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
Totals
Coupé
0
412
900
740
28
0
671
452
0
3,203
Spider
2
772
2,279
478
27
0
437
380
0
4,375
Corse
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
11
209
220
Totals
2
1,184
3,179
1,218
55
0
1,108
843
209
7,798
*stated by Pininfarina production records
Models
First series
The Beta Montecarlo was finally unveiled at the 45th Geneva Salon International de l'Auto in March 1975, marketed as the Lancia Beta Montecarlo. Power came from a twin cam, 1995 cc Lampredi inline four, developing 120 PS (88 kW; 118 hp) at 6000 rpm and 126 lb⋅ft (171 N⋅m) of torque at 3400 rpm.[7] Lancia claimed a top speed of over 190 km/h (118 mph) and a 0–100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time of 9.3 seconds.[8]
First series featured solid rear wing panels above the engine bay and 5.5Jx13" "bow-tie" alloy wheels. The interior was upholstered in vinyl (TVE, Elasticized Vinylic Textile), with cloth optional. The driver's side mirror (right one was optional) was a Vitaloni Californian.
In 1978, production of the Beta Montecarlo went on hiatus.
Lancia Scorpion
US-market 1976 Scorpion
The convertible version of the Beta Montecarlo was federalized and marketed in the United States from 1976-1977 as the Lancia Scorpion, to avoid conflicting with the Chevrolet Monte Carlo. 1,805 were manufactured in 1976 and sold as model year 1976 and 1977 (1396 and 405 respectively).
To accommodate U.S. emission regulations, a smaller emissions-tuned 1,756 cc twin cam engine was fitted. With less aggressive camshaft profiles, a smaller carburetor, and the compression ratio reduced to just 8.1:1, the Scorpion delivered 81 hp (60 kW), down from the 120 of the Montecarlo. To meet crash test and lighting requirements, the Scorpion had bigger 5-mph bumpers and low-rise pop-up, sealed beam headlights, adding some 130 lbs to the curb weight. Two additional series of vents on the engine cover were required to cool the catalyst.
Second series
A Lancia Montecarlo. Revised buttresses, Beta 14 inch alloy wheels and badging.
After a two-year hiatus the revised second series was introduced in 1980, nolonger using the Beta prefix and marketed simply as the Lancia Montecarlo.[9]
Exterior changes included a corporate split grille design introduced with the 1979 Delta, glazed rear buttresses for better visibility and, in place of the model badging on the tail, a full width brushed aluminium strip. Larger eight-spoke 5,5Jx14" alloy wheels from the Beta were adopted to clear the upsized brake rotors and calipers, and the brake servo was removed to address a brake lockup issue. The interior featured a spoke Momo steering wheel as well as revised trim and fabrics.
The engine featured a higher compression ratio, Marelli electronic ignition and new carburettors.
Issues
Rear view of a Lancia Montecarlo.Engine bay.
The Montecarlo/Scorpion suffered from several issues. Between the taller springs used to meet the US height requirements, a lack of caster, and bump steer, handling suffered. Engine noise was criticized; Road & Track listing noise as one of their biggest complaints, with "little joy listening to the wheeze of an emission equipment-stifled 4-banger",[10] and Motor calling the engine noise a "raucous cacophony".[11]
Harsh shifting is common and increases as the bushings wear (a common trait in mid-engined cars). The rear crossmember is a design flaw; the metal used was too thin and is susceptible to corrosion and eventual failure, although stronger replacement crossmembers are available from aftermarket companies.[citation needed]
The Series One Montecarlos and Scorpions suffered from overly boosted brakes, which caused the fronts to lock up easily in the wet. These were often criticised in reviews; for example Road & Track complained of "severe front locking and 37% fade"[10] and Motor that they found "it disconcertingly easy to lock up the front wheels when approaching corners".[11]
Production was suspended in 1978 while the braking problems were resolved by some engineering changes, including removing the brake servo.
Rust is an issue for the Montecarlo and Scorpion.[12] Unless kept in a dry environment active prevention is required to fend off rust. The firewall and wheel wells are common locations for rust.[citation needed] Rusted floor pans are a major cause of early Montecarlo/Scorpion demise.[citation needed]
The first offspring of the X1/20 project to actually be revealed to the public wasn't the definitive Beta Montecarlo, but rather the Abarth 030.
Powered by a 280 hp, 3.2 liter V6, sporting conspicuous aerodynamic appendages (including a snorkel over the roof to feed the engine) and the Abarth red-yellow livery, the SE 030 was first intended as a replacement to the 124 Abarth in motorsport. Nevertheless, Fiat for the time being preferred racing the high volume selling 131 for marketing reasons, and only two Abarth 030s were ever made.
Being a silhouette car, the Montecarlo Turbo only shared the centre section of the body with its namesake production car. Front and rear tubular subframes supported the suspension and housed the engine, still mid-mounted with Colotti gearbox. Three engines were used: 440 hp 1,425.9 cc, 490 hp 1,429.4 cc and 490 hp 1,773.0 cc.[14]
Similarly to the Montecarlo Turbo, the 037 only retained the centre section from the Montecarlo but little else, and its supercharged engine, while still midship, was mounted longitudinally rather than transversely as it is in the Montecarlo.
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