Monte Carlo Automobile
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Industry | Automotive |
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Founded | 1983 |
Founder | Fulvio Maria Ballabio |
Headquarters | |
Website | montecarloautomobile |
Montecarlo Automobile is a car manufacturer which is based at Montecarlo in Monaco and the company has specialized and produced several exotic and handmade racing and street legal sports cars, it was founded in 1983 by the engineer Fulvio Maria Ballabio who has raced in the IndyCar Series and Offshore.[2]
Montecarlo Automobile began manufacturing its first street legal GT car in 1989, which was totally manufactured in carbon fiber and powered by a Lamborghini engine, named "Centenaire". The company also produced a street legal Spyder (convertible car) named "Beau Rivage". Their supercar models have been developed and produced by ex- Lamborghini engineers and other Italian car designers with many prototypes built. As for 2016, nearly 60 cars were produced since the 1980s including prototypes many of them were models built intended both for racing and for roadgoing, mostly using Italian Lamborghini mechanicals and other Italian components.
The local Montecarlo Motor Museum has its own display of all the MCA models that have been made including racing cars since the early 1980s, besides a large collection of other rare foreign exhibit featuring luxury models and other well-known sports cars. In 1993 the Centenaire V12 won its class in the six hours endurance of Vallelunga.
In 1995, the Monte Carlo Automobile was acquired by the French Aixam Mega group, who built and sold some sportscars derived from the original MCA Centenaire, called MEGA Montecarlo V12 a new European supercar for the late 1990s that was equipped with a powerful Mercedes V12 unleaded petrol engine. Although several prototypes were made their promised production run never started and the company passed again back to its Italian founders.
In 2005 Montecarlo Automobile started a collaboration with FIA/ACI/CSAI to produce a car powered by green energy from the street legal ALA 50 powered by Methane and LPG and the Quadrifuel "Carlo Chiti" powered by Alfa Romeo V6 engine using Methane, Ethanol fuel, LPG and gasoline,[3] with which it got the podium in the Methane class of FIA Alternative Energies Cup. The Carlo Chiti Stradale 90 was using engine derived from the Alfa Romeo 8C coupe combined with an electric motor fitted to the front axle developed by BAR Engineering.[3]
On 25 March 2012, a new Montecarlo Automobile car named Montecarlo/BRC W12 was built with the collaboration of BRC world leader in transformation and supply of Methane and LPG. It competed in the 4 hours of Monza with gasoline powered cars such as the Ferrari 458, Lamborghini Gallardo, Porsche 911 and the Chevrolet Corvette, finishing in eighth position.
In 2014 company unveiled a supercar Montecarlo Automobile Rascasse, a new model equipped with mid-mounted engine, BMW -sourced 5.4-liter V-12 engine with a total output of over 500 horsepower.[2]
Notes
- ^ 2009 MCA ALA 50 Unveiled By The Prince Of Monaco: 2009 MCA ALA 50 Unveiled By The Prince Of Monaco, accessdate: 23. tammikuuta 2016
- ^ a b car review @ Top Speed: 2014 Montecarlo Automobile Rascasse | car review @ Top Speed, accessdate: 23. tammikuuta 2016
- ^ a b The Supercar Kids – Top Marques Shows Monte Carlo Automobile Carlo Chiti Stradale 90: The Supercar Kids – Top Marques Shows Monte Carlo Automobile Carlo Chiti Stradale 90, accessdate: 23. tammikuuta 2016