Do you know the Charade Monza? This French sports coupe from the early 1990s had a career that was as short as it was discreet. One of the 10 copies made is for sale on Leboncoin. it contains a Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9 engine. Business opportunity ?
You can find everything on the Leboncoin ad site. This Peugeot Monza CS prototype from 1990 with 600 km on the clock is the proof. It is sold for 20,000 € but in view of the photos, it is difficult to realize the condition of the passenger compartment as of the rear part of the body. And the seller does not indicate whether the car is rolling.
The history of the Peugeot Charade Monza
The origin of the project dates back to 1986 when the engineer Pierre Foissotte and about fifteen people in the automotive world decided to design a sports coupe whose purpose would not be to be distributed to the general public but only to their personal use. It is a Japanese designer who draws the first sketches, which perhaps explains the false airs of Nissan 300 ZX. But there is also a resemblance to the achievements of Venturi, the French manufacture which was launched shortly before, in 1984. Seen from three quarters back, it also looks like some contemporary Maseratis. Made of polyester, the body is made in Indonesia while the glazing comes from Japan. Note that only a small part – the one at the bottom – of the side window is descending.
Exhibited at the Paris Motor Show in 1989
In 1989, the project changes dimension, the idea of commercialization begins to gain ground. In September, the company Charade Automobile SA was founded for this purpose and set up in Clermont-Ferrand (63). The car is named Monza in tribute to the last race in which Pierre Foissotte, who is also an amateur driver, took part. At the Paris Salon in the fall of 1989, the Charade Monza which was not completely finished, the suspensions were still missing, was nevertheless presented to the public. Several mechanical solutions are being considered, starting with blocks from Japanese brands., Honda promises an engine and Mitsubishi like Toyota are also in contention. Chauvinism or not, it is ultimately Peugeot which is called upon, a 1.9 liter 130 hp 205 GTI engine is installed in the rear central position.
A convertible with the engine in the front
Change of course, or rather of hood in 1990, with the transfer of the mechanics to the front, due to the arrival of a version with removable roof which enriches the project. But whether it is coupe or convertible, the Charade Monza does not attract crowds, orders do not rain, far from it. To become more accessible, production once again changes its formula and offers a kit car that can be assembled on the technical basis of the Volkswagen Beetle or on a tubular chassis equipped with Peugeot mechanics. Prices vary from 42,850 to 115,840 francs depending on whether it is a kit to assemble yourself in your garage or a Charade Monza delivered complete and rolling. By way of comparison, a new Peugeot 205 1.9 GTI cost 99,800 francs in 1989. Only a dozen or so Charade Monza units were made. So business to seize? Or not.
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