Believe it or not, the Lancia Beta Montecarlo started life as a Fiat. Codenamed X1/8, the car was a Pininfarina styling study designed to become a new Fiat sports car. At the same time, rival stylists Bertone were working on Project X1/9, a smaller and more delicate design that ultimately became the one chosen by Fiat.
But all was not lost. The X1/8 was still considered beautiful, and with Lancia needing a new sports model to not only expand its range but also give it something to base its next rally car on as a successor to the Stratos.
Thus, the Beta Montecarlo was born – not Monte Carlo as it is often mistakenly written. Introduced in 1975, the model was offered as both a Coupé and a targa-topped Spyder, the former being by far the more common.
In 1978, a Series 2 model appeared and it was this model on which the famous Lancia 037 rally car was based, hence making it more desirable than the earlier cars. The later models were also more potent with 118bhp, the see-through rear buttresses being the main point of identity between each series.
The later cars also dropped the Beta name, so this 1981 car is simply a Lancia Montecarlo. It’s a cool thing, fresh into the UK from South Africa, where the dry climate has been kind to it.
THE HISTORY AND PAPERWORK
Recent import from South Africa
One of only 1,123 made
All import duties clear
MOT and tax exempt
Believed to be a genuine 40k from new car
The vendor specialises in importing cars from South Africa and will happily help the buyer complete the registration process if the car says in the UK, where it will qualify for tax and MOT exemption.
THE INTERIOR
Original grey check velour seats
Excellent carpets and door trims
Straight and tidy dash
Good overall condition
The interior of the Lancia is believed to be 100% original, with smart grey velour trim and excellent carpets and door trims. The seats are still lovely and firm and the fabric hasn’t gone baggy with age.
It’s very well-presented, with an authentic period radio-cassette player and
The rest of the interior is fairly tidy, too, with a smart Lancia-logoed gear knob and a three-spoke Momo steering wheel featuring the Lancia insignia.
The boot area is excellent with no visible rot and it has its original jack and tool kit.
THE EXTERIOR
Excellent presentation
Coupé model with fixed roof
Original alloy wheels and lights
Very good underneath
The Montecarlo has to be one of the best-looking Lancias ever made – and that’s going against a pretty impressive back catalogue.
It was the first car to be both designed and built fully in-house by Pininfarina and was a beautifully executed thing, with delicate detailing and a timeless trapezoid profile.
This one is astonishingly solid. It has had some paintwork in its life, but the structure is unrestored and the floors, engine bay and inner wings all appear in solid order. It looks equally robust underneath, too.
As for the paint itself, it’s tidy with just some minor blemishes, while the factory alloys are in excellent order, having been refurbished and fitted with new tyres.
THE MECHANICS
1,995cc 4-cyl twin cam
Five-speed manual
Freshly serviced
Runs and drives well
There’s something wonderfully eager about the 2.0-litre Twin Cam, which fires up instantly and chatters away enthusiastically waiting for you to blip the throttle.
In standard tune, the ‘Lampredi’ engine makes an enchanting noise and this one idles well, holding a steady temperature and responding well to the throttle.
We were able to drive it a short distance and can confirm that it appears to run well with no noises, smoke or overheating issues.
We can also confirm that all of the gears engage correctly and that the steering and brakes feel suitably fit for service.
SUMMARY
The Montecarlo is one of Lancia’s finest models of its era and is both a great car to look at and a fine one to drive.
This is an extremely smart example of the breed and is in very good order, with good pedigree. Lancias of this vintage earned a reputation for rot that, sadly, was far from unfounded. Finding one this solid, original and low mileage is a rare and unusual delight.
Notice to bidders
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