MBM Tourismo

MBM Tourismo Peter Monteverdi's Automobile Museum

The Tourismo was a compact street sports car, the Swiss racing car manufacturer MBM built automobiles in 1962. The car was based on a British design and was produced in very small numbers. Its creator, Peter Monteverdi produced from 1967 high-priced luxury cars.

Background

Peter Monteverdi operation in Binningen in the Swiss canton of Basel-Land, a company that had developed in the 1950s by a repair shop for trucks to a successful car dealership. Monteverdi was concessionaire for Ferrari since 1957 and later took over and representations for Lancia, Bentley, Jensen and BMW. In his spare time he drove regularly automobile races, mostly in Formula Junior and hill climb. He began in 1960 even designed vehicles, which he presented under the brand name MBM ( " Monteverdi Basel Motors" ) and offered for sale. From 1960 to 18 seaters was established in 1962, most of which were equipped with a two-stroke engine by DKW.

1962 presented MBM addition to racing cars in front of the Tourismo, a closed two-seater that was suitable for use in road traffic. Series production of the vehicle was planned, but let not be realized. Until presented in 1967 Monteverdi High Speed ​​375 of the Tourismo was the last road vehicle designed Monteverdi.

Technology

The Tourismo had a body, which rested on a factory specifications after just 22 kilogram heavy tubular frame. The structure was made ​​of plastic. It was designed as a two-door Fliessheckoupé. Was powered by a four-cylinder four-stroke engine, which was taken from the program of the British Ford Anglia. One such engine had Monteverdi already used for one of his Formula Junior racing car (type C). As he had, however, modified the stroke and the compression ratio to improve the performance, he took over the British motor for the Tourismo coupe structurally unchanged. Only the mixture system was redesigned: Instead of the standard production Solex downdraft carburetor installed Monteverdi a twin carburettor Weber. In order for the engine power should rise to 85 PS to factory specifications of 45. The engine was installed behind the front axle. A steady series four-speed gearbox of the Ford Anglia transferred the power to the rear wheels.

MBM used numerous technical components of large -scale manufacturers. In addition to the engine and the transmission and the rear rigid axle and brakes from Ford came to correspond to the components of the British middle class model Consul. The rack and pinion steering, however, was taken over by the Renault Dauphine.

The Tourismo was 3.35 long and 1.10 m high.

A Heron replica?

Peter Monteverdi gave the impression to have the Tourismo self designed and constructed. The 1980 published by Monteverdi commissioned works chronicle states that Monteverdi had visited in 1960 an "international race car show" in London. There he had seen a number of remarkable plastic bodies, which would have given him the idea to build a small GT cars for use on normal road: "That was the birth of the MBM Tourismo ". The plastic body has been made ​​in Great Britain by Peter Monteverdi's information. Also at the presentation of the vehicle, there was no evidence of otherwise copyright.

In the automotive literature, however, has existed for several years accepted that the MBM Tourismo actually based on the design of the British Heron Europe, the Monteverdi had essentially taken. Based in Greenwich company Heron Plastics produced since 1961 the Europe as a kit car, which was build on the basis of the Ford Anglia. The package included a plastic body to that of the MBM Tourismo looked very similar except for some details. The technique of Europe was designed for the Ford Anglia as the Tourismo. The dimensions of the Tourismo corresponded to those of Heron. Therefore, observers assume that Monteverdi a Europe - kit left in his workshop, possibly with some changes in detail, assembly and its plans went by, the model for sale as a finished vehicle under his name ..

Production

Monteverdi initially planned to manufacture the Tourismo series. MBM let Print prospectuses, in which the Tourismo was described in English as " dwarf with the acceleration of a giant ." The extent to which the series production was planned, is unclear. The factory chronicle speaks of an expected run of five vehicles in the contemporary press was 100 copies of the speech. In fact, a series production did not materialize. The factory chronicle claims that the Tourismo built in 1961 has remained a single piece, while others keep a production of two or three vehicles possible.

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