Monza Spyder

During the 1980s, the American kit car market was dominated by the emerging Cobra replica craze, but there were a few standout kits that owed nothing to Shelby's famous snake. One of the best-looking kits was the Apollo Verona, a vintage-styled roadster with strong British overtones but built on American running gear. It was a much-admired design built by Californian Milt Brown, who has at last followed it up with another inspired design, the Apollo Monza.

Back in the day, the Verona was intended from the start to be a turnkey car, but when financing came up short, Brown resorted to selling it in component form. Fast-forward to today; only completed Monzas will be sold, custom-built to the owners' specifications. The prototype we drove is a true work of art, but beyond that it is an example of what Brown says could be his primary contribution to the kit and replicar industry: his design skill. And he has the track record to back it up.

AUSPICIOUS BEGINNINGS
The first Apollo project, introduced in '63, was an Italian-bodied sports car called the Apollo 3500GT. It was a lovely design by Brown's pal and business partner Ron Plescia which was further refined by master Italian stylist Franco Scaglione. The 3500GT was powered by an aluminum Buick 215-inch V-8, while the visually identical 5000GT that followed had the 300-inch Buick with a cast-iron block. The steel coupe and convertible bodies were built in Italy and shipped to California for final assembly. Apollo sold 88 cars before being pulled down in the mid-'60s by high overhead and meddling investors.

The next Apollo was the Verona, introduced in '81. Brown had been designing business machines but couldn't get cars out of his system, so he started a new company to produce a NeoClassic sports car. Brown designed a straightforward ladder frame and mounted Buick suspension and steering. The chassis was designed to take a number of engines, including Chevy V-8s, Buick Grand National V-6s, BMW inline sixes, and Jaguar V-12s. The car's traditional lines, which combine Morgan and MG themes, were penned by the team of Plescia and Brown. Although the 44 cars built in the U.S. were all sold in kit form, Brown licensed a company in Germany to build the Verona as a turnkey car with new BMW engines and suspension. They are still in production there--a testament to the Verona's timeless appeal.

MONZA MAGIC
For the new Monza, Brown designed the body himself, calling on pre-war Alfa Romeos and Maseratis for inspiration (particularly the Alfa 2900 series). The Monza is about the size of a Morgan Aero, but the looks are traditional, not trendy. The oblong grille is flanked by a pair of submerged headlights and the windscreen is set at a jaunty angle. The Monza works from every angle, and the interior is handsomely finished in glove leather and Carpathian Elm with Apollo-badged instruments.

Even though the Monza rides on modern 17-inch rims, the accent is on fun, not outright performance. The prototype (seen on these pages) rests on a Verona-style ladder frame powered by a BMW 325i six-cylinder with a five-speed BMW gearbox. However, subsequent Monzas will have a new chassis with BMW or Corvette suspension and brakes. Any engine can be specified, from four to 12 cylinders (Brown is particularly attracted to the BMW V-8 and the Corvette Z06). The fiberglass prototype body will be replaced with an aluminum one, and details like the headlight placement, wheels, and fenders will be altered to make each car unique.

Brown has sketched out multiple variations on the basic Apollo shape that completely transform the character of the car. Wearing blood-red paint and an Elm dash, this Monza prototype is distinctly Italian in personality. Yet with full fender skirts in back, two-tone paint, small chrome bumperettes, and tall wire wheels, the Monza would take on a decidedly French flair. With steel rims and silver paint, a more Germanic character would emerge. There are three available seat designs, and the dash may be covered in a variety of rich woods or engine-turned aluminum. Like signed original artwork, no two Monzas will be identical. At over $245,000 each, they had better not be!

Obviously, at that lofty price Brown is not planning on selling a lot of Monzas. A few per year would be fine. Construction will be farmed out to master craftsmen rather than shelling out money for his own factory and work force (a lesson learned from his earlier endeavors). What really turns Brown's crank, though, is working out the relationships of size, shape, and functionality that allow the Monza to look small but still fit a 6-foot, 7-inch driver. Brown insists that his cars sit comfortably and look right. He hopes the positive reception the Monza has received (including Best Sport Car in the 2005 San Francisco Custom Car Show and the Editor's Choice Award from Motor Trend Classic magazine at the Concorso Italiano show) will lead to design projects for the kit and specialty car market.

Brown feels that many kit/replica companies are capable of building high-quality cars but could use experienced help in the styling department. He set up his new company, Apollo Design (510/704-0772), to design and fabricate concept cars, design production-ready sports cars for limited-production manufacturers, and design and build one-off cars to customer specifications.

DRIVING THE MONZA
We snapped at the chance to take the Monza prototype for a spin and can report that it fits like a glove and attracted covetous stares everywhere we went. Unlike some prototypes we have sampled, it is assembled like a fine watch, and the doors close tightly with the push of a finger. The cabin is solid and there is a minimum of cowl shake, even over rough patches.

The steering is crisp--if a tad overboosted--but Brown says that has since been corrected. Remember, the production Apollos will have an improved chassis with up-to-date steering and suspension. The 227hp BMW engine is a perfect choice, with its classic European inline-six exhaust burble and exciting performance due to the light 2,310-pound weight. However, a V-10 or V-12 would perk things up a bit and provide more of an exotic aura to the drivetrain.

The Monza is highly entertaining, yet doesn't wear you out in six blocks like mega-power supercars tend to. "I wanted to build a comfortable and fun car for weekend getaways," says Brown.

Although few Monzas will make their way to the streets, this assures buyers they will not meet themselves cruising the boulevard, even in exotica-laden locales. By comparison, Enzos would be positively common. But the real impact of the Apollo Monza on the American specialty car market could be the reemergence of the original design rather than continuing to copy a replica. It would be a car that makes its own statement instead of reinterpreting another--something we hope more manufacturers will recognize as a good thing.