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   HISTORY OF THE BETA MONTECARLO      
               
            The last member to join the Beta family was the Montecarlo. In 1970 Pininfarina had started to develop a mid-engined sportscar for Fiat, under the code name X1/8. This was the first time Pininfarina had undertaken the design of a complete vehicle rather than adapting a body to an existing chassis. The code name was changed to X1/20 in the following year but the style and layout of the car remained very much the same. The design evolved during the next 2 years, reaching its definite form in 1974. Pininfarina had worked closely with Abarth and consequently one prototype was fitted with an Abarth-prepared 3-litre V6 engine with a power output of 285bhp. This car, identified as the Abarth-Pininfarina 030, finished second to a Lancia Stratos in the Giro d'Italia in 1974 (its first competition!).  
               
            The first oil crisis in 1973 made Fiat decide to market the new car through the Lancia network and utilise the 2-litre engine from the Beta. For the first time ever, in addition to designing and styling the new car, Pininfarina was also to build it. The name chosen was Beta Montecarlo, to commemorate Lancia's 3rd victory in this most prestigious rally, gained by the Stratos in 1975. The new car was formally introduced at the Geneva motor show in March 1975. The right hand drive version only went on sale in the UK in March 1977.  
         
Abarth 030.jpg
Beta - promotiomn rear.jpg Beta - promotiomn.jpg MOntecarlo Turbo.jpg 037 rally.jpg
 
   
               
               
               
                       
            The new car had a somewhat mixed reception from the motoring press after its launch. The road holding and handling gained high praise, with comments such as "formidable" being used to describe it. The ride was also considered very good, comfortable and absorbent. Straight-line performance was rated as acceptable, particularly for a 2 litre car weighing over a ton. Some testers thought that greater power would have been more in keeping with the character of the car and certainly could have been matched by its roadholding and handling. A more serious criticism put forward was that the front brakes locked up far too easily on wet roads. With most of the weight over the rear wheels and with servo-assistance only to the front brakes, the forward weight transference under braking was insufficient to maintain good front wheel grip.  
               
            About a year after its introduction in Europe, a version of the Montecarlo was produced for the American market, called Lancia Scorpion. The American car used the emission-controlled 1800 unit with a catalytic converter, resulting in a maximum power output of only 81bhp SAE at 5,900rpm. Other changes were the addition of heavier bumpers and the use of circular headlamps. The combination of the reduced power and the increased weight limited the performance of the car to a max. speed of 112mph and a 0-60mph acceleration of about 11 seconds. Consequently, sales of the Scorpion was disappointing and after only a year, imports to the US ended in 1977.  
               
            In 1978 production of the Montecarlo was suspended, most likely because Pininfarina's limited production capacity was to be concentrated on the production of the more expensive and profitable Lancia Gamma Coupe (while sales of the Montecarlo and Scorpion were lower than expected). This pause in production gave Lancia and Pininfarina the opportunity to make changes, resulting in the second series Montecarlo which was launched at the Geneva motor show in March 1980. The most significant changes were:  
            Removing the servo-assistance to the front brakes    
            Increasing the disc brake size on all 4 wheels    
            Using the 14inch alloy wheels of the Beta Coupe (to be able to increase the disc size)  
            Widening the front and rear track by 10mm    
            Adding electronic ignition to increase torque to 17,4kgm at 3,400rpm    
            Reducing the weight to 970kg    
            Revising the front grille, mirrors and badging    
            However, production of the second series ended in 1981, only six years after the model was introduced. Right-hand-drive versions reached the UK in May 1981 and remained on sale until the summer of 1983.  
               
            The total numbers of each series/type is listed below. The spider version of the car had a canvas roof designed and patented by Pininfarina - it was a clever design where the roof was rolled up and stored in the roll bar, above the rear window. The operation is easy and the roof can be removed in under 5 seconds.  
         
 
   
               
               
               
               
               
                       
                   
                   
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
                     
                     
               
 
       
   BETA MONTECARLOS IN NEW ZEALAND      
               
            A limited number of new Beta Montecarlos was imported into New Zealand by Ateco Ltd (Previously Azzuro Cars). Most of these were the second series model. Unfortunately, due to market prices in Australia being higher than in New Zealand, a few of these original New Zealand cars have been exported across the Tasman Sea. All other cars were imported from overseas. We currently have in the country:  
             
            2 Scorpions    
            1978 137ASO*0000533   USA (converted to) RHD  - Soft top - Solid butresses  
            1977 137ASO*0000559   USA LHD - Soft top - Solid butresses    
            10 First series Montecarlos        
            1977 137ASO*0002031   Germany LHD - Coupe - Solid butresses    
            1977 137ASO*0003022   UK RHD - Soft top - Glass butresses    
            1978 137ASO*0003042   UK RHD - Coupe - Glass butresses    
            1978 137ASO*0003105   UK RHD - Coupe - Glass butresses    
            1978 137ASO*0003254   NZ new RHD - Coupe - Glass butresses    
            1978 137ASO*0003287   ? RHD - Coupe - Glass butresses    
            1978 137ASO*0003355   Hong Kong RHD - Soft top - Glass butresses    
            1978 137ASO*0003633   Bahrein LHD - Coupe - Solid butresses    
            ? 137ASO*0003772   Singapore RHD - Coupe - Glass butresses    
            1978 137ASO*0003846   NZ new RHD - Coupe - Glass butresses Not a LRNZ member  
            6 Second series Montecarlos        
            1985 137ASO*0005051   South Africa RHD - Coupe - Glass butresses    
            1981 137ASO*0005434   Singapore RHD - Soft top - Glass butresses Not a LRNZ member  
            1982 137ASO*0005627   NZ new RHD - Coupe - Glass butresses    
            1982 137ASO*0005657   NZ new RHD - Coupe - Glass butresses Not a LRNZ member  
            1982 137ASO*0005658   NZ new RHD - Coupe - Glass butresses    
            1984 137ASO*0005866   UK RHD - Soft top - Glass butresses    
               
            Another 4 Montecarlos used to be in the country:    
            One first series came from the USA and was exported to Australia    
            137AS00005431 was an original NZ car (2nd series/silver) and was scrapped     
            137AS00005659 was an original NZ car (2nd series/blue) and was exported to Australia  
            137AS00005660 was an original NZ car (2nd series/silver) and was exported to Australia  
               
            A detailed list of Montecarlos currently in New Zealand is shown below.