The Alfa Romeo Montreal was first exhibited as a concept car duo in occasion of the 1967 Universal Exposition in Montreal, Canada. To convey the feeling of optimism and posivity, the organizers of the event asked Alfa Romeo to present their interpretation of the "maximum aspiration of modern men in a motorcar". The result was a gorgeous concept car designed by Marcello Gandini for Bertone, already at the peak of his fame after having penned the famous Lamborghini Miura. The concept was based on the 1750 GT Veloce chassis and had the 1.6 engine of the Giulia: the response was so positive that Alfa Romeo was convinced to put such a car into production.
The late sixties weren't easy times for the Milanese Manufacturer: it was already investing a lot of resources into the Alfasud project, which involved the construction of the Pomigliano d'Arco plant in southern Italy, and to develop the Giulia's successor, the Alfetta. Nevertheless the positive response of the Montreal exposition eventually convinced Alfa's board of directors to make the new GT the flagship of the Company, the one offering the best performance and the most exclusive driving experience.
To power the Montreal was chosen to use the 2 liter V8 engine of the 33 Stradale, which was bored out to 2.6 liters, in order to produce 230hp and 24,8 kgm of torque at 5100 rpm. Top speed was an impressive 220 kph and the car was equipped with self ventilating discs and a ZF 5-speed gearbox.
After going through few difficulties during the development due to the strikes and protests that characterized the late sixties, the final version of the Montreal was put onto the market in 1971, right before the oil crisis of 1973. Production of this wonderful GT continued until 1977 after less 2400 examples made.
During its he Alfa Romeo Montreal was Alfa's flagship Gran Turismo between 1971 and 1975. Powered by a 2.6 liter V8 engine, whose design was based on the one of the famed 33.