.png?width=26&height=26&name=youtubemobile%20(Custom).png){kind=small}
.png?width=26&height=26&name=instgrammobile%20(Custom).png){kind=small}
There are sensible classic cars, and then there is the Alfa Romeo Montreal. Sensible classic cars have parts you can find, engines any competent garage understands, and bodywork that does not make a grown adult whisper, “please do not be rusty”, before lifting the carpet. The Montreal has none of that calm energy. It is a Bertone shaped Italian fever dream with a race bred V8, slatted headlamp covers and the kind of presence that makes modern traffic look as if it has given up on beauty entirely.
It is also not a car to buy because you fancy a cheap Alfa. That way lies sadness, specialist invoices and a search history full of phrases like “SPICA injection expert near me”. Bought well, a Montreal is one of the most charismatic grand tourers of the 1970s. Bought badly, it is a very attractive way to turn money into dust while telling yourself the dashboard looks lovely.
Why the Montreal still matters
The Montreal story began at Expo 67 in Canada, where Alfa Romeo showed a pair of concept cars that did not even have the Montreal name at first. The public loved them, because the public had eyes. Bertone, with Marcello Gandini’s fingerprints all over the styling, gave the car its dramatic nose, side vents, cutaway looking rear pillars and those wonderful eyelid slats over the headlamps. It looked like a junior supercar that had dressed for a very glamorous evening and forgotten to ask anyone if it was practical.
The production car arrived in 1970, and Alfa did something gloriously unreasonable. Instead of using a normal four cylinder engine, it fitted a 2.6 litre quad cam V8 related to the Tipo 33 racing programme. That engine gave around 200 hp, a dry sump oil system, mechanical fuel injection and a soundtrack that still makes people stop mid sentence. Only 3,917 were built, including roughly 180 right hand drive cars, so the Montreal has rarity on its side as well as theatre.
The car in plain English
Underneath the drama, the Montreal is not a mid engine supercar, even if it looks as though it might be hiding something wicked behind the seats. It is a front engine, rear wheel drive 2+2 grand tourer based around Alfa’s 105 series thinking, with a five speed ZF manual gearbox, front double wishbone suspension and a live rear axle. That last bit surprises people, because the body suggests moon landings and secret Italian design studios, while the rear suspension says, “we had one of these on the shelf”.
The important numbers are easy enough to remember. The V8 is 2,593 cc, quoted at about 200 hp, with 0 to 60 mph in under eight seconds and a top speed of more than 135 mph when everything is fit and healthy. In period that was quick, and today it still feels special because the performance comes with noise, texture and mechanical occasion rather than a silent shove from a turbocharged appliance.
Which Alfa Romeo Montreal should you buy
The short answer is the best one you can afford. That sounds dull, but the Montreal punishes romantic bargain hunting with the enthusiasm of an Italian tax inspector. There were changes during production, including engine and brake updates, but condition matters far more than year. A properly maintained early car is a better buy than a later car that has been polished beautifully over corrosion, neglect and someone’s heroic wiring decisions.
Originality matters, but so does usability. A car with sensible, reversible upgrades, proper maintenance and evidence of specialist care can be a lovely thing. A completely original car with tired injection, missing trim and damp carpets can be a museum of future bills. If you are choosing between a shiny cheap car and a slightly dearer car with history, dry structure and a good specialist report, choose the boring paperwork. Boring paperwork is very exciting when you are buying a Montreal.
What should you pay
UK and European market data in 2026 suggests the Montreal now sits well beyond the old overlooked Alfa bracket, but it has not quite climbed into the silly money league occupied by more famous Italian exotica. A usable, presentable car will often sit around the £50,000 to £65,000 area, with exceptional examples, major restorations and rare right hand drive cars comfortably above that. Projects and problem cars can look tempting below the main market, but do not confuse a lower asking price with a cheaper car.
A tired Montreal is not like a scruffy MGB where you can order half the car from a catalogue and spend a few weekends feeling productive. Body trim, interior pieces, injection work and engine rebuilds can all become expensive quickly. If a car looks £20,000 cheaper than the others, it is usually trying to tell you something. Listen before your bank account has to.
The V8 is glorious, but bring manners and money
The V8 is the reason many people want a Montreal in the first place. It looks jewel like, sounds expensive in the best way, and gives the car a character no four cylinder Alfa can quite match. It is not a fragile engine by nature, but it does demand proper knowledge. This is not the engine for a garage that thinks all old Alfas are basically the same, then attacks it with confidence and the wrong manual.
The big known fear is the water pump idler shaft bearing. If it fails, it can allow oil and water to mix, so check the oil reservoir carefully for mayonnaise or anything that looks like a salad dressing experiment. The bearing itself is not the expensive part. Getting to it is where the bill starts doing press ups. Also remember that the dry sump system holds a lot of oil, so the engine needs proper warming before you start treating the throttle like a musical instrument.
SPICA injection is not witchcraft
The SPICA mechanical fuel injection system has frightened plenty of owners over the years, partly because people love blaming anything mysterious for poor running. In truth, a correctly set up system can work very well. The trouble is that it needs method, cleanliness and someone who understands the order of adjustment. Random fiddling is not tuning. It is just vandalism with smaller tools.
On inspection, the Montreal should start cleanly, idle steadily, pull without flat spots and restart when warm without drama. Watch for rich running, fuel smells, hesitation, uneven idle and bodged linkages. Fuel hoses deserve special attention because the system circulates a lot of fuel and any leak in the engine bay is not a charming classic car quirk. It is a fire risk with Italian styling.
Gearbox, steering and brakes
The five speed ZF gearbox is generally strong and suits the engine nicely. It should feel mechanical rather than obstructive, with no serious crunching, jumping out of gear or alarming noises. A little oil misting is not unusual on older cars, but proper leaks and neglected oil changes are different. Reverse gear wear can occur, so do not just test the glamorous forward progress. Check the unglamorous reversing into a parking space bit too.
The steering is unassisted, so a Montreal will not feel light at walking pace. If you are expecting modern fingertip ease, you may be disappointed, especially while manoeuvring. On the move it should settle into a more natural rhythm. Brakes are discs all round and should feel confident, but a long pedal, pulling to one side, binding calipers or a servo that seems to be having a lie down all need proper investigation.
Suspension and the live rear axle
A Montreal is more of a fast grand tourer than a razor sharp sports car. The engine sits ahead of you, there is a live axle at the back, and period testers were not shy about mentioning understeer. That does not make it bad. It just means the Montreal is at its best when you flow with it, let the V8 sing and avoid pretending it is a Lotus Elan in a dramatic suit.
Worn bushes, tired dampers, weak springs and old tyres can make a Montreal feel vague, heavy and slightly cross with the road. A good one should feel stable, muscular and surprisingly usable, but not delicate. Some cars have handling improvements, and these can be worthwhile if done properly. As ever, neat invoices and a sensible specialist are better than a seller saying, “it has been upgraded”, while pointing vaguely underneath.
Rust, because of course
The Montreal body was better protected than some Italian cars of the era, but please do not let that sentence make you reckless. It can still rust, and repairing one properly is expensive because panels and trim are not waiting on every parts shelf like cheerful little soldiers. Start with the front valance, the crossmember below the radiator, inner wings, front wings behind the wheels, sills, jacking points, spring pans, footwells and the steering box mounting area.
Then keep going, because the Montreal has more places to hide trouble. Check the rear suspension trailing arm mounts, boot floor, spare wheel well, fuel tank area, rear valance, A pillars, B pillars, door bottoms, rear arches, the fuel filler area and below the side vents. Lift carpets if allowed. Look for damp sound deadening, poor repairs, thick underseal and paint that is much newer underneath than the story in the advert.
Trim, glass and those wonderful headlamp eyelids
The Montreal’s styling details are a huge part of its charm, and some of them are awkward or expensive to replace. The headlamp slats should move properly, the front grille heart should be intact, and the various pieces of nose trim should be present. Missing little pieces may look like minor bargaining points until you discover that finding them is less “quick online order” and more “international treasure hunt with invoices”.
Check the front spoiler too. Very early cars did not have one, but many later cars should, and missing or damaged spoilers are common. The plastic trim below the windscreen, side vent details, lights, badges and glass all matter. A Montreal can still look magnificent with a few cosmetic marks, but missing unique trim takes effort and money to put right.
Inside the Montreal
The cabin is snug, stylish and very 1970s, which is another way of saying it can charm you into ignoring sensible concerns. Do not. Seats, door cards, switches, instruments and unusual trim should all be checked carefully. Retrimming seats is one thing. Replacing missing Montreal specific parts is another, and often a slower, more expensive business.
Try every switch and gauge. Electric windows are often slow, but they should work. The clock may not, because old car clocks seem to treat time as an opinion. Check the heater, lights, wipers, fan, fuel pumps, warning lamps and all locks. Rear seats are really more for luggage than humans with legs, so treat the Montreal as a stylish two seater with emergency upholstery behind you.
What should it feel like on the road
A good Montreal feels special immediately. The driving position, the view over that bonnet, the V8 noise and the sense of mechanical richness all combine into something modern cars struggle to copy. It should pull strongly, rev cleanly and feel eager once warm. It should not cough, stumble, overheat, fill the cabin with fumes or make you feel as if each gear change is a formal negotiation.
Temperature stability matters. Oil pressure matters. A seller who says, “they all run hot”, may simply own one that runs hot. Watch the gauges, let the car idle after a drive, check for leaks and sniff for fuel. The Montreal is theatrical, but it should not behave like an opera singer having a breakdown in the dressing room.
Paperwork and originality
History is hugely important. You want evidence of regular servicing, oil changes, injection work, cooling system attention, brake maintenance, suspension refreshes and previous body repairs. Old MOT records, invoices, specialist letters, photographs of restoration work and ownership history all help build confidence. A Montreal with gaps in its story is not automatically bad, but the price should reflect the uncertainty.
Original colour can matter, especially because some shades suit the shape better than others. Strong colours often look fabulous on a Montreal, while dull choices can make it seem as if someone asked a concept car to dress for a parish council meeting. If the car has been repainted, judge the quality rather than simply panicking. Just make sure the repaint was not done to hide repairs that would embarrass everyone involved.
Left hand drive or right hand drive
Right hand drive Montreals are rare, with only around 180 built, so UK buyers naturally prize them. They are easier to use on British roads, and they have their own steering box arrangement which many specialists regard as a plus. That rarity usually means a premium, and a really good right hand drive car will not be hanging around waiting for someone to make a cheeky offer and feel clever.
Left hand drive cars are far more common and can be excellent buys, especially if you use the car on the continent or simply want the widest choice. Do check steering box condition carefully, and make sure the car has not suffered poor conversion work if anything about its identity seems unusual. As always, a superb left hand drive car beats a tired right hand drive car with a badge of honour and a boot full of problems.
The inspection checklist without the clipboard drama
Start cold if possible. A warm engine can hide starting issues, smoke and poor idle. Look at the oil reservoir, coolant, fuel hoses, belts, wiring and signs of leaks before the engine fires. Then listen. A Montreal should sound busy and mechanical, but not clattery, uneven or unhappy. Once moving, check clutch bite, gearbox quality, steering feel, braking stability, temperature behaviour and whether the car pulls cleanly through the rev range.
After the test drive, look again. Fresh leaks, fuel smells, rising temperature and reluctant hot starting are all useful clues. Then get the car on a lift. Do not buy a Montreal based only on shiny paint, a nice noise and the fact you have already imagined yourself arriving at a pub in it. That way madness lies, although admittedly madness with a very attractive bonnet.
The verdict
The Alfa Romeo Montreal is not perfect. In fact, perfection would probably ruin it. It is too complex for the casual buyer, too rare for careless ownership and too expensive to restore on hope alone. Yet that is also why it feels so special. It is a car from a moment when Alfa Romeo looked at a sensible coupe platform and thought, “what this needs is a race bred V8 and the face of a concept car”.
Buy the right one and you get drama, rarity, beauty and one of the most interesting engines Alfa ever put in a road car. Buy the wrong one and you get a masterclass in why cheap classics are often the most expensive things on earth. The Montreal rewards patience, inspection and a willingness to pay for quality. It is not a bargain hunter’s Alfa. It is a car for someone who knows that the best kind of trouble is the kind you carefully inspected first.