Monteverdi Palm Beach

Production period:	1975
Class :	sports car
Body versions :	Cabriolet
Engines:	Gasoline: 7.2 liters (250 kW)
Length:	4600 mm
Width:	1795 mm
Height:	1230 mm
Wheelbase :	2520 mm
Curb weight :	1805 kg

The Monteverdi Palm Beach was a two-seat built to order Cabriolet of the Swiss car manufacturer Monteverdi . The car belonged technically to the High Speed ​​375 family , which produced Monteverdi since 1967 in different versions. The Palm Beach was the last derivative of this concept, which was presented in 1975. A series production did not materialize. The Palm Beach is regularly shown at exhibitions today. This is considered one of the most beautiful convertibles of the 1970s. 

The Palm Beach was based on the shortened chassis of the Monteverdi High Speed ​​375. It was the second open model that Monteverdi realized on this chassis.

In is often held the opinion that the Palm Beach is the convertible version of the Monteverdi Berlinetta ,in fact, the Palm Beach is directly related to the four year older high-speed 375 C related.

The High Speed ​​375 C had already been presented in 1971, introduced a convertible version of the "short" High Speed 375 S is. The Cabriolet 375 C correspond - except for the roof structure - stylistically and technically the introduced 1969 375 S. Monteverdi presented only two copies of the 375 C ago. A vehicle went on sale; a second car, completed in April 1971 (chassis number 1027) remained as an exhibit in the factory.

1972 replaced Monteverdi not very successful and stylistically controversial  Coupé 375 S by the Berlinetta, which had a strong revised front end and had undergone some modifications on the chassis.

Three years after the presentation of the Berlinetta Monteverdi presented the so far produced only in a few copies coupe with the Palm Beach an open version to the side. Outwardly, the Palm Beach took on the design features of the Berlinetta, especially its low front end with the striking narrow radiator grille and the square twin headlights, but also the rear end, the tail lights of the Triumph TR6 used. Otherwise, Palm Beach, however, corresponded to the 375 C. That applies to both the chassis and the drive technology. The Palm Beach used instead of the used in the Berlinetta Hemi engine with 7.0 liter capacity, a conventional, 7.2-liter eight-cylinder engine from Chrysler, which also drove the volume model High Speed ​​375 L. 

The Palm Beach was presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1975. The paint was copper-colored, the interior was made of cream-colored leather. The purchase price of the Palm Beach was given as 124,000 Swiss francs. The issued copy was not a newly built car. Rather, it was the second, manufactured in April 1971 and remained in the factory 375 C with the chassis number 1027, the Monteverdi had provided in the winter 1974/75 subsequently with body parts of the Berlinetta. The Geneva-issued vehicle was sold to a private customer in the late 1970s; later Monteverdi bought the car back. It stood until its dissolution in 2017 in Monteverdi's Automuseum in Binningen and is regularly shown at exhibitions.

The Monteverdi Palm Beach was not produced in series. In the literature it is predominantly assumed that the Palm Beach remained a unique piece.  It measured a top speed of almost 237 km / h and an acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h in 7.8 seconds. The performance was generally described as sporty and confident. 

The idea of ​​the Palm Beach came at a time when Monteverdi suffered from considerable economic difficulties. Company owner Peter Monteverdi had invested heavily in the modernization of its technical equipment at the end of 1973; a little later, however, broke the sales of its sports cars as a result of the oil crisis by more than 60 percent. Monteverdi was unable to service its liabilities in time in 1974 so that the Swiss press in particular speculated openly about the car manufacturer's bankruptcy.In the winter of 1974-75 succeeded Monteverdi to consolidate the finances of his company. At the same time, the idea of ​​producing cheaper, better deductible SUVs beganconvert. During this time Monteverdi needed a new vehicle at short notice to publicly document the ability of the company to act. This role fell to the generally perceived as attractive Palm Beach. In view of the very high sale price of the Palm Beach and the restrictions, which were subject to high performance sports cars in times of oil crisis.