LOT 106

1975 Ford Escort Monte Carlo Coachwork by Carrozzeria Frua Chassis no. ATHGJ3GCATKB73572 Engine no. KB73572

Sold for CHF28,750 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve

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Lot 106

One-off Prototype
1975 Ford Escort Monte Carlo

The Bonmont Sale|29 June 2025, 14:00 CEST|Chéserex, Switzerland

1975 Ford Escort Monte Carlo
Coachwork by Carrozzeria Frua
Chassis no. ATHGJ3GCATKB73572
Engine no. KB73572

• One-off prototype by Pietro Frua
• Presented at the 58th Salon de l'Automobile de Paris in 1971
• Known ownership history from new

This unique prototype by Pietro Frua was first seen at the Paris Salon de l'Automobile in 1971. Looking like a scaled-down Ferrari 330 GTC, the Monte Carlo was based on a humble mass-produced family car – the Ford Escort 1300 MkI – so was a far cry from the expensive exotica usually associated with Frua. The car has featured in articles published in the German magazine Motor Klassik (August 2018) and in Autoretro (issue 470, January 2022).

It is reported that the wife of a Swiss architect acquired the car directly from Frua in 1972. The next owner kept the Monte Carlo from 1980 to 1998, and the third from then until 2016. The car has belonged to the current owner since 2018, forming part of his important collection of cars by Italian coachbuilders. Reportedly it was restored in 2003, when the colour was changed from brown metallic to the current, and very elegant, red metallic.

A rare opportunity to own a one-off design by one of the foremost Italian coachbuilders, the car is offered with Swiss registration documents; FIVA Passport (issued 2018); scans of the aforementioned magazine articles; and an expert's report dated November 2017, which rates the car's condition as generally good.

Footnotes

1971 Ford Escort Monte Carlo Coupé
Carrossée par la Carrozzeria Frua
Châssis n° ATH GJ3 GCA TKB7 3572
Moteur n° KB 73 572

• Prototype unique construit par Pietro Frua
• Exposée au 58e Salon de Paris 1971
• Historique de propriété connu depuis l'origine

Ce prototype unique dû à Pietro Frua fut aperçu pour la première fois lors du Salon de Paris 1971. Avec une ligne rappelant une Ferrari 330 GTC aux proportions réduites, cette Monte Carlo était en réalité basée sur une voiture familiale de grande série : la Ford Escort 1300 Mk I. Cette création dénote de l'exotisme coûteux généralement associé aux créations de Frua. Des articles publiés dans le magazine allemand Motor Klassik d'août 2018 et dans le n° 470 d'Autoretro de, en janvier 2022, font mention de cette voiture.

Il se dit que c'est la femme d'un architecte suisse qui acheta cette Monte Carlo directement à Frua en 1972. Son deuxième propriétaire la conserva de 1980 à 1998, et son troisième propriétaire jusqu'en 2016. Elle appartient à son vendeur propriétaire actuel depuis 2018 et fait partie de son importante collection de voitures de carrossiers italiens. Elle aurait été restaurée en 2003 et c'est à cette occasion qu'elle aurait adopté ce très élégant rouge métallisé, en remplacement de son brun métallisé d'origine.

Cette voiture, qui représente une occasion rare de posséder une œuvre un modèle unique d'un des principaux carrossiers italiens, est proposée avec ses documents d'immatriculation suisses, son passeport FIVA délivré en 2018, des copies scannées des articles de magazine mentionnés plus haut et d'un rapport d'expertise de novembre 2017 qui juge son état comme globalement bon.

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