Monteverdi High Speed 375 S

The Monteverdi High Speed 375 S Serie I was a landmark in the brief but ambitious story of Monteverdi, the Swiss marque founded by Peter Monteverdi, a man whose background combined technical expertise with an eye for exclusivity. A trained mechanic and former Formula Junior driver, Monteverdi had run a successful dealership for prestigious brands like Ferrari, Jensen, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, and BMW before setting out to create his own line of luxury sports cars. Work on this new venture began in 1966, and by September 11, 1967, Monteverdi unveiled his first model—the High Speed 375 S—at his Binningen workshop, a debut that would mark the beginning of Switzerland’s first true series-produced grand tourer. The 375 S was a sleek two-seater coupé designed by Italian coachbuilder Pietro Frua, whose sophisticated lines were unveiled to the public at the 43rd International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt later that same month. Presented at the Auto Becker stand, the car drew significant attention for its striking proportions and elegant Italian styling. Its clean, flowing design bore a clear resemblance to Frua’s earlier work on the AC 428, with several components such as the glasshouse and doors even being interchangeable. Despite the visual similarities, the 375 S had its own character—subtle but imposing, sporty yet restrained. Beneath its handcrafted Frua bodywork, the 375 S concealed a robust Chrysler 440 Magnum V8 engine, delivering 375 DIN horsepower and a massive 66.4 mkg of torque. Mated to either a 4-speed manual or a 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission, the car could sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6 seconds, with a top speed of 250 km/h. This immense power was paired with advanced underpinnings for the era, including a De Dion rear axle, adjustable Koni dampers, Girling disc brakes on all four wheels, and a thoughtfully engineered square-tube chassis, built in Basel by Stahlbau AG to Monteverdi’s specifications. The production of each 375 S was a collaborative and international effort. The chassis was assembled in Binningen, then shipped to Frua’s workshop in Turin where the bodywork was fitted. Fully dressed cars returned to Switzerland for final assembly and delivery. Only ten units with Frua bodywork were produced between 1967 and 1971, making the model exceedingly rare. Later, as production scaled, Monteverdi transitioned to Carrozzeria Fissore in 1969 for the bodywork of subsequent High Speed models, altering both the design language and manufacturing process. Each 375 S Frua was delivered to a discerning clientele. The first chassis, Comm. 348, was retained by Monteverdi himself and finished in red. Other examples were exported to the Netherlands, the United States, Italy, and across Switzerland. Some of these early vehicles have since disappeared, while others have been meticulously restored or survive only in photographs and records. Notably, one car was sold to J.H. Steinway of Steinway & Sons in Montreux, another to Franco Rol in Turin. While production figures vary in historical sources, the most consistent records suggest ten Frua-bodied 375 S units were built, followed by six more with Fissore bodies. The planned 400 SS variant, which was to feature 400 DIN horsepower and even higher performance, never advanced beyond the planning stages.