A Land Rover from Switzerland: an almost unique model of which very few examples were produced. Here’s what it was like and what its characteristics were
There Land Rover it is certainly one of the most iconic automotive brands, especially when it comes to SUVs and off-road vehicles. A real point of reference for enthusiasts of this type of vehicle who are increasingly numerous in Italy.
On the other hand, that of the SUVs are an expanding market, increasingly popular with motorists looking for family cars that are comfortable and above all suitable for every type of need. Competition in this segment for Land Rover has been increasingly intense in recent years but even in the past there have been brands that have tried to break a sort of hegemony on the British car market.
And so an SUV was also produced in Switzerland with the intention of conquering a part of the market belonging to Land Rover and other similar brands in terms of production. It was the 1978 when the Monteverdi Sahara was built a modified version of the International Harvester Scout 800, decidedly more luxurious and equipped than the latter model.
Suffice it to say that, although it is a model produced over 40 years ago, this car already had air conditioning and electric windows while it was possible to choose the transmission, available in both manual and automatic mode.
Monteverdi Sahara, what the Swiss Land Rover was like
The Monteverdi Sahara, a more equipped and luxurious car than the Safari, was built to meet the requests of Swiss customers, looking for a luxury SUV that had nothing to envy of the Range Rover. Bodywork designed by the Italian Fissore, square lines and four round headlights were the distinctive features of the car.
The engines were definitely high-performance: a Chrysler 5.2 liter V8 definitely more powerful than the Range Rover’s 3.5 V8 and another more powerful one like the Chrysler 7.2 liter V8 capable of exceeding 200 km/h top speed.
The success of this car, however, was in no way comparable to that of a Land Rover. In fact, it turned out to be a real flop. Only 30 cars were produced for the Sahara, while only a few hundred models of the Safari were sold. In short, numbers that have not affected the success of Land Rover in the slightest, which is still a point of reference for all SUV lovers today.
