Monteverdi Safari

The popularity of the SUV knows no ending and even traditional sportscar manufacturers have butchered their heritage to find ways into this overcrowded segment. Swiss motorsport specialist and car manufacturer Peter Monteverdi was a true visionary when he offered a coachbuilt luxury SUV in the nineteen seventies. Unfortunately, those who are well ahead of the curve rarely derive any financial benefit from their innovations or even receive recognition for it.

Peter Monteverdi never reached the ranks of Enzo Ferrari or Ferruccio Lamborghini, but his story deserves far greater recognition than it usually gets. His father owned a garage in Binningen, near Basel, and Peter grew up surrounded by cars, developing an early interest in automotive engineering and performance. After his father’s death in 1956, he took over the family business. By then, he had already built his first car based on a Fiat 1100 and established himself as a racing driver, competing in hill climbs and circuit races while expanding the business.