| Lancia Montecarlo | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lancia Montecarlo (1980–1981) | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Lancia |
| Also called | Lancia Beta Montecarlo Lancia Scorpion (U.S) |
| Production | 1975–1978 and 1980–1981 |
| Assembly | Italy:Grugliasco,Turin (Pininfarina plant) |
| Designer | Paolo Martin[1] atPininfarina |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car (S) |
| Body style | 2-doorcoupé 2-doortarga |
| Layout | Transverserear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Related | Lancia 037 Abarth SE 030 Lancia Medusa |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | |
| Transmission | 5-speedmanual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,300 mm (90.6 in)[2] |
| Length | 3,813 mm (150.1 in) |
| Width | 1,696 mm (66.8 in) |
| Height | 1,190 mm (46.9 in) |
| Kerb weight | 970–1,040 kg (2,138–2,293 lb) |
TheLancia Montecarlo (Type 137) is a two-seatersports car manufactured and marketed byLancia inItaly for model years 1975-1981, across two series. It was designed byPininfarina and has amid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout.
The first series (1975-1978) were marketed as theLancia Beta Montecarlo and the second series (1980-1981) as theLancia Montecarlo.[3] In both cases Montecarlo was spelled as one word, unlike the city ofMonte Carlo. Both series were offered inCoupé andSpider bodystyles, the latter featuring a unique roll-back manually operatedtarga styleconvertible top. A modified version of the Spider was marketed in the United States as theLancia 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).
Fiat commissioned Pininfarina to design and develop the replacement for its124 Coupe. Bertone came up with a less expensive alternative, which became theFiat 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 based on an existing production car.[5][6]Initial design work was done by 1969, and a final design byPaolo Martin was completed in 1971.
During thefirst 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 wasFiat 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 X1/9halo car.
For a premium level of equipment, Lancia had the new 1,995 cc variant of the twin-cam four-cylinder motor from theFiat 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 otherBeta 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
The Beta Montecarlo was finally unveiled at the 45thGeneva Salon International de l'Auto in March 1975, marketed as theLancia Beta Montecarlo. Power came from atwin cam, 1995 ccLampredi 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 5.5Jx13" "bow-tie" alloy wheels. Very early production had solid rear wing panels above the engine bay, although these were glazed for most of the first series production. The interior was upholstered in vinyl (TVE, Elasticized Vinylic Textile), with cloth optional. The driver's side mirror (passenger side was optional) was a Vitaloni Californian.
In 1978, production of the Beta Montecarlo went on hiatus.
The convertible version of the Beta Montecarlo was federalized and marketed in the United States from 1976-1977 as theLancia Scorpion, to avoid conflicting with theChevrolet 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.
After a two-year hiatus the revised second series was introduced in 1980, no longer using theBeta prefix and marketed simply as theLancia Montecarlo.[9]
Exterior changes included a corporate split grille design introduced with the 1979Delta, 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 thebrake servo was removed to address a brake lockup issue. The interior featured a spokeMomo steering wheel as well as revised trim and fabrics.The engine featured a highercompression ratio,Marelli electronic ignition and newcarburettors.
_(34277888585).jpg)
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] andMotor 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 suffered from poor brake balance, as the brake servo only acted on the front brakes, which caused the fronts to lock up easily in the wet. These were often criticised in reviews; for exampleRoad & Track complained of "severe front locking and 37% fade"[10] andMotor that they found "it disconcertingly easy to lock up the front wheels when approaching corners".[11] The brakes wereFiat 124 discs all round, with relatively small unvented discs and a single piston sliding caliper. Although effective on first application, they suffered frombrake fade when overheating and also required regular maintenance to keep them sliding evenly. Production was suspended in 1978 while the braking problems were resolved by some engineering changes, including removing thebrake 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 literV6, 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.
In 1974 one of the two prototypes took part in the then-popularGiro d'Italia automobilistico, a championship consisting of both road and track races. Driven byGiorgio Pianta andCristine Becker it scored a remarkable second place, just behind theLancia Stratos Turbo of the duo Andruet-Biche.
The Montecarlo Turbo was aGroup 5 racer. It was the first racing car to be fielded by Lancia in eight years when it entered the May 1979Silverstone Six-Hours race.[13] It won the1979 World Championship for Makes (under 2-litre division) and overall for1980 World Championship for Makes and1981 World Endurance Championship for Makes. Hans Heyer also won theDeutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft in 1980 at the wheel of a Montecarlo. In 1980 Turbo also placed first and second atGiro d'Italia automobilistico, an Italian counterpart of the Tour de France Automobile.
Being asilhouette 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 withColotti 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]
.jpg)
The Montecarlo was the basis for Lancia's successfulGroup B rally car, theLancia 037. Debuting in 1982, the car won the1983 WRC Manufacturers' Championship for Lancia.
Similarly to the Montecarlo Turbo, the 037 only retained the centre section from the Montecarlo but little else, and itssupercharged engine, while still midship, was mounted longitudinally rather than transversely as it is in the Montecarlo.
.jpg)
A marque ofStellantis | |||||||||||||
| Passenger cars |
| ||||||||||||
| Buses | |||||||||||||
| Trucks | |||||||||||||
| Vans | |||||||||||||
| Military vehicles | |||||||||||||
| Motorsport |
| ||||||||||||
| People |
| ||||||||||||
| Technologies | |||||||||||||
| Museum |
| ||||||||||||
| Buildings | |||||||||||||
| Bike | |||||||||||||
| Boat | |||||||||||||
