A classic car that boasts European elegance with an American heart, this is one of only 10 ever handbuilt by the Italian coach builders Carrozzeria Frua.
This makes the 1969 Monteverdi High-Speed 375S Coupe the rarest of the rare in the collector’s market today.
To make things more special for you, this extremely-rare classic once belonged in Jay Leno's private repertoire of cars for a few years.
It’s currently listed on Bonhams and will go under the hammer on the 3rd of July this year in Gstaad, Switzerland.
There is no reserve on the car, and the listing expects it to fetch around $72,000 to $113,000.
Monteverdi's First Car Is A Beautiful Classic GT
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In the 1960s, a lot of European automakers were using American V8 expertise to create their versions of sports cars that could lock horns with the likes of Ferrari, Maserati, and Aston Martin.
During that time, the Swiss BMW dealer Peter Monteverdi used the same formula and created some unforgettable cars.
Debuting in 1967, this High-Speed 375S 2-seater Coupe was Monteverdi's maiden attempt at the burgeoning luxury sports car bazaar of the time.
The listed chassis #1003 Monteverdi boasts a 7.2-liter Chrysler HEMI V8 coupled with a 3-Speed Chrysler’s TorqueFlite automatic transmission.
This power plant hammers out a massive 450 horsepower enough for it to sprint beyond the 150 MPH mark.
The Jay Leno Connection: Ex-Home To The Monteverde
Before reaching its first buyer in 1969 in the US, this car debuted at the Geneva Auto Show and then the New York Auto Show the very same year.
Imported to the US in 1969, this 375S originally came in a yellow exterior and a black leather interior.
It exchanged a few hands until 1992 when a California-based owner acquired it and got the car refinished in metallic blue.
The car was also displayed at the 17th Concorso Italiano at the Black Horse Golf Club, Seaside, California in August 2003, after it received complete restoration work under its new owner that year - it underwent a few more restoration jobs from time to time while exchanging more hands, mostly including refurbished interiors, a fresh dark blue paint job, new silencers, and tires.
In 2006, Jay Leno acquired it and kept it in his collection of cars until 2008 when it went for sale in California.
Bonhams boldly mentions in the listing that “this vehicle is not offered with any original registration documents, bidders should satisfy themselves as to registration requirements in their jurisdiction.“
The car’s current documentation points to a Middle-East registration paper dated 2012, around the time when it went to its current owner.
Since then, he kept the car on static display so this 1960s masterpiece will require re-commissioning before it can legally hit the roads again.
Source: Bonhams