Description
Lancia Beta Montecarlo | 1977
Highlights:
– 2.0-litre (1995cc) four-cylinder petrol engine, paired with a 5-speed manual transmission
– Distinctive mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout styled by Pininfarina
– In the same private ownership for more than ten years, originally acquired in Italy
– Recently underwent a full technical inspection and passed the Belgian roadworthiness test without any remarks
The seller offers for sale this 1977 Lancia Beta Montecarlo, powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. Finished in red with a tan interior, this example has been in the same private ownership for more than ten years, having originally been acquired by the current owner in Italy. According to the seller, the car recently underwent a full technical check and was subsequently presented for the Belgian roadworthiness inspection, passing without any remarks noted.
Introduced at the 1975 Geneva Motor Show, the Lancia Beta Montecarlo marked a striking departure from the rest of the Beta range whose name it borrowed. Despite the shared badge, the Montecarlo had virtually nothing in common with its front-engine, front-wheel-drive siblings: it was conceived by Pininfarina as a genuine mid-engine sports car, its design language rooted in the Abarth SE 030 racing prototype that finished second overall at the 1974 Targa Florio, a single place behind Lancia’s own all-conquering Stratos. Paolo Martin’s crisp, angular styling for Pininfarina gave the car its distinctive wedge-shaped profile, complete with the signature flying-buttress C-pillars framing the rear window, and it was offered in both fixed-roof Coupé and targa-top Spider guises.
Behind the passenger compartment sits a twin-cam, 1995cc four-cylinder Lampredi engine, feeding a 5-speed manual gearbox mounted in unit with the differential just ahead of the rear axle. The oil crisis of the mid-1970s led Lancia to shelve the V6 originally planned for the model in favour of this smaller four-cylinder unit, but the trade-off was a low-slung, well-balanced chassis that gave the Montecarlo genuinely accomplished handling, a trait later carried through to the Lancia 037 Group B rally and circuit racing programme. With only around 3,800 examples of this first series built between 1975 and 1978, the Beta Montecarlo remains a comparatively rare and increasingly sought-after piece of 1970s Italian design, offering collectors a genuine mid-engine driving experience within reach of the classic Lancia enthusiast.
Condition of the bodywork & paint
4 — Very Good. Clean with minimal wear; might need minor replacements for small missing or broken parts.
Condition of the interior
4 — Very Good. Displays only minimal wear and can hit the road any time.
Technical condition
4 — Very Good. Mechanically solid, with potential for minor servicing.
Overall condition
4 — Very Good. Displays only minimal wear and can hit the road any time.
This item is sold on an as-is basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and descriptions of the listing are for information purposes only.
