I always have a number of slow-simmering automotive investigative projects going, and one of those is about cars named like, well, people. Cars whose name is a normal, everyday name. Cars like the Nissan Cedric, the famous Mercedes, and even my own namesake, the Jowett Jason. I found so many I realized it'd be too much for one post, so instead I'll feature them one at a time every now and then. Today, meet lovely Monica.
The Monica 560 is a truly stunning-looking car, I've always felt. It has that same almost timelessly modern quality like a Ro80, and I wish more modern sports sedans would look to Miss Monica here for inspiration. The Monica started development in 1967, and showed at the Paris Auto Show in 1972. The name came from the wife of the man behind the Monica, Jean Tastevin. Does that last name mean "taste wine?"
Technically, it was something like a French Jensen Interceptor, in that it had a European body and chassis with good old Mopar power, in this case a nice big 5.6L Chrysler V8. Actually, Facel-Vega is probably a better analogy, since it was the previous attempt to make a luxury French car with Mopar power. Unfortunately, a big, luxurious, powerful V8 car that comes out right at the beginning of a global oil crisis is usually doomed, and the Monica was.
Only 8 Monicas were built by the factory before it closed, though 22 prototypes were made. So, all of you named Monica, your car conomenhaver is lovely, powerful, and rare.
Just like you, baby. Just like you.
(Sources: Encyclopedia of Automobiles, Wikipedia, You and Yours)