This is a 1973 Monteverdi High Speed 375 L, it’s a car that many have never heard of, and those that do know of it often know it as Switzerland’s first muscle car – thanks to its big block American V8.
The Monteverdi High Speed 375 series of cars entered production in 1967 and were built until 1976. The chassis was designed and built in Switzerland, the bodies were hand-built in Northern Italy, and the engines were sourced from Chrysler in the United States.
Fast Facts – The Monteverdi High Speed 375 L
- This 1973 Monteverdi High Speed 375 L is a luxury muscle car powered by a 7.2 liter Chrysler V8, delivering up to 375 bhp. It was a Swiss grand tourer with a unique blend of American muscle and European craftsmanship, and it was one of the fastest four-seat cars of its time.
- Founded by Peter Monteverdi in 1965, the brand quickly gained attention by producing luxury sports cars and pioneering the ultra-luxury 4×4 market. After a successful racing career, Monteverdi focused on car production, creating models that helped put Switzerland on the map as a luxury car producing nation.
- The High Speed 375 L featured a longer wheelbase than the original 375 S model to fit in rear seats, making it a 2+2. Production was split between two coachbuilders: Frua initially, then Carrozzeria Fissore for later models due to increased production demand.
- This specific 1973 Monteverdi High Speed 375 L, powered by the 440 Magnum V8, was displayed at the Monteverdi Museum until 2016. After a mechanical refurbishment and repaint, it is now offered for sale in Hallwil, Switzerland, with updated service records and previous Dutch registration available.
Monteverdi: A History Speedrun
Monteverdi was founded in 1965 in Binningen, Switzerland by a young Peter Monteverdi. His plan was to build and sell his own luxury sporting cars, and at that time he was probably one of the best suited people in Switzerland to take on the challenge.
This is a young Peter Monteverdi standing next to a Monteverdi 375S, it’s not clear why the cheetah is there but it was probably period advertising gimmick to showcase the speed of the car.
Monteverdi had inherited his father’s automotive garage business at the age of 22, he revolutionized the company and turned it into a dealership for some of the most desirable cars in the world, including Ferrari, BMW, Bentley, Lancia, and Jensen.
After enjoying an early career as a racing driver, in which he drove Ferraris, a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, a Lotus Formula 2 car, and even a Renault Gordini, he decided to throw himself full-time into car production after serious accident at the Hockenheimring.
After establishing his namesake automaker, Monteverdi would release a number of production cars, he would pioneer the concept of the ultra-luxury 4×4 vehicle, and develop Switzerland’s first ever Formula 1 car.
The Monteverdi High Speed 375 L
The Monteverdi High Speed 375 L made its debut shortly after the original High Speed 375 S model. The 375 L had a longer wheelbase and body to match, in order to make room for a second row of seats – making it a 2+2 grand tourer.
The sales of the High Speed 375 L were strong right off the bat, in fact demand outstripped the speed at which the bodies could be made by Pietro Frua in Turin. Italy. As a result of this, production of the bodies was switched over to Carrozzeria Fissore which had more capacity to hand-build the bodies in higher volume.
The body of the later Fissore-built cars was different to the earlier Frua-bodied examples (apart from some early Fissore prototypes), but the chassis and drivetrains were largely the same. Each chassis was built from square section steel tubing and fitted with independent front suspension made by Alford & Alder in England, with Salisbury De Dion rear ends, Girling disc brakes, and ZF steering.
This Monteverdi High Speed 375 L is fitted with the Chrysler 440 Magnum 7.2 liter V8 producing 375 bhp and 480 lb ft of torque (SAE).
The engines were sourced from Chrysler in the United States. Peter Monteverdi was a fan of the company’s big block V8s, and the model name of the High Speed 375 L included the engine’s horsepower rating (in SAE gross).
Power was provided by either the Chrysler 7.0 liter V8 or the Chrysler 7.2 liter Magnum 440 V8 depending on the option selected by the buyer. The car you see in this article was powered by the 440 Magnum producing 375 bhp and 480 lb ft of torque (SAE).
The top speed was listed as 229.3 km/h (142.5 mph), making it one of the quickest four-seat production cars in the world at the time, and it had a 0-62 mph time of 8.2 seconds. The High Speed 375 series also included two-door two-seaters, four-door sedans, and convertibles.
The 1973 Monteverdi High Speed 375 L Shown Here
The car you see here is a 1973 Monteverdi High Speed 375 L, it’s one of the later cars built by Carrozzeria Fissore and it was on display at the Monteverdi Museum in Basel, Switzerland for many years, until the museum closed in 2016.
It was given a mechanical refurbishment before being delivered to its new owner in 2017, and after delivery it was given a fresh coat of paint in its current shade of green.
The interior of each Monteverdi was completed to a very high standard, the equal of anything coming out of Italy, Germany, or England at the time.
This car has the 440 Chrysler Magnum V8 with a four-barrel carburetor sending power back through a 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission to the rear wheels. It has a limited-slip differential, servo-assisted four-wheel disc brakes, power steering, a tan leather interior, air conditioning, and an eight-track player.
It’s now being sold on Bring a Trailer out of Hallwil, Switzerland with invoices from 2024 service and previous Dutch registration. If you’d like to read more about it or place a bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
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