Peter Monteverdi was born in Binningen, where his father owned a small car repair shop, on June 7th, 1934. Even as a child whose favorite toy was a little pedal car, his enthusiasm for automobiles could be seen. Following his high school education, Peter Monteverdi worked as a volunteer in the „Vevey"-agricultural machine factory. He then began fis four-year apprenticeship as a mechanic in the Adolph Saurer truck factory in Arbon.
At the age of seventeen, Peter Monteverdi built his first car. Using the wreck of  a Fiat he constructed new body and frame for a sportscar: the MONTEVERDI Special.
In 1956, after his father's death, Peter Monteverdi took over the repair shop in Binningen. His reputation as a sportscar specialist spread rapidly and helped to boost his business. He acquired the Ferrari dealership which the Monteverdi Shop handled for eleven years, while adding to it dealerships from Lancia and other makes. From 1965-1975 Monteverdi was official BMW dealer.
In 1956, under the name MBM (Monteverdi Binningen Motors), Peter Monteverdi began designing and constructing racing cars. His first models, Formula Junior Cars, gained an excellent reputation and were sold in many countries. In 1961 he built Switzerland's first Formula 1 race car, thus winning international success. A GT and another sportscar were added to MBM's production and sold to enthusiasts throughout the world. By showing them at special exhibitions for race car construction, various MBM models became highly celebrated.
In 1961 production of MBM cars was temporarily halted. The existing shop was too small to house the repair shop and the construction part of the business and therefore had to be razed for a new building. The one-man-shop now became an enterprise with many employees and work on a new car project continued. From 1966 on, work concentrated on an exclusive high-powered automobile. AT the Frankfurt car show in fall 1967, the newly presented „MONTEVERDI high speed" became an instant success. Once again, it was necessary to enlarge the shop and the production of new cars was housed in the new factory.
In 1982 MONTEVERDI car production was shut down. The building was converted into the MONTEVERDI Car Collection, a museum which opened ist doors in 1985. In the same year the MONTEVERDI Club was founded.
In 1990 Monteverdi started a Formula One comeback, after founding the MONTEVERDI-Onyx-Team. After some races those F1-cars were the basis for Peter Monteverdi's last creation, the Monteverdi hai 650 F1.

MONTEVERDI cars and MONTEVERDI-Design are known around the world.


SWITZERLAND'S LARGEST CAR MUSEUM : THE MONTEVERDI CAR COLLECTION

After the energy crisis in 1973 Peter Monteverdi decided to change the structure of his car types. Rather than continuing his successful production of high-speed GT mdoels, the automobile constructor from Basle decided to join the booming business of luxury four-weel drive vehicles. Thanks to the extreme flexibility of his small Basle factory, Monteverdi was able to develop and begin production of the „Safari / Sahara" series within an extraordinarily short time period.
During the factory's ten year GT period, the same flexibility allowed the production of an impressive number of models, Monteverdi Gran-Tourismo cars, convertibles and limousines are still eye-catchers today and rank among the world elite in terms of power, luxury, safety and comfort. The new luxuruy four-wheel drive cars which followed were equally exclusive and in demand by pampered customers.
At the right moment, Monteverdi realized that the cost involved in small-scale automobile production--50000 miles tests in private institutes, crash tests for the US market, specific smog tests for various countries just to mention a few examples--would soon rise to heights disproportionate to long-term sales.
The automobile producer put two and two together and began working as an industrial designer. Many products bearing his design, among them car prototypes, boats and watches.
In retrospect it was Peter Monteverdi's fine sensibility for possible business markets that saved the world famous MONTEVERDI brand name and made possible the opening of the MONTEVERDI Museum. As an auto enthusiast with typical collector's instincts, Peter Monteverdi gathered a large number of exclusive sportscars, GT and race cars around him. Today the visitor can view all Monteverdi cars after cars of other makes were sold some years ago. „I enthusiastically respect the efforts of all who construct exclusive automobiles. I know the efforts they have made and with this in mind, the exhibition will expand", Peter Monteverdi said when the museum was opened in 1985. With a smile he added: „Who knows ? Maybe there will be another MONTEVERDI Series added to the collection".


Source: Monteverdi, copyright Monteverdi