Lore
During the development of the Helvetia, Kobelt and Holtzmann sketched a concept for a second Munot vehicle, one that would offer needed diversity to Munot’s lineup and a safeguard in the event that the (expensive!) first Munot vehicle was a failure. While the Helvetia was a fast yet stately luxury car, this concept would need to be suited for mass motorization, which made it actually a more difficult project in some ways. And much like the Helvetia, this car would also have to stand out on it’s own.
Both Holtzmann and Kobelt came from a racing background, and with motorsports rapidly increasing in popularity after the war, what better than to try to give the people a taste of that experience? This car would become a sort of “personal sports coupe”, capable of sportscar performance - or at least as close to it as possible - while still providing the comfort and usability needed in a personal car, with the difference being it’s usability as a daily vehicle versus being a toy. To emphasize it’s uniqueness and it’s intended versatility compared to most other coupes, it was called the Berlinetta - later the 4C Berlinetta due to it’s 4-cylinder engine. Much like the Helvetia and Switzerland as a whole, this concept drew on a number of neighboring European influences; in particular the Italian automakers’ experiments in fast road cars and German developments in luxury and safety, as well as the rising American muscle car fad. And like the Helvetia, it would be produced at the new Emmen industrial center.
With limited finances, the 4C Berlinetta would share a lot with it’s big brother, the Helvetia, in order to save on development costs. This included the wishbone suspension, the 4-speed transmission, the dashboard layout, and even the engine was literally the Helvetia’s V8 cut in half. However, this also meant that the 4C Berlinetta saw a lot of features not common for a car of it’s market or size. It would have a unibody construction to save weight and improve crash resistance, which had long been in use with German manufacturers. A highly refined power steering system was included as standard, which was inspired by the introduction of American premium cars into the Swiss market. The success of radial tires in racing, and the adoption by the Italians and French in mass market vehicles like the Giulietta and Traction Avant made the 155HR15 the tire of choice for the Berlinetta. Also adopted from racing were front disk brakes, giving it significantly better stopping ability. The interior was nicely furnished - though simpler than the Helvetia - with a radio and heater/cooler as standard, proprietary leatherette upholstery, and aluminum accents with some chrome and a walnut wood insert. The aluminum was used both to save weight, and to emphasize the sporting qualities of the car. An unusual center console configuration was used instead of a dashboard, like on the Helvetia, built on ergonomic principles of the time and inspired by aviation, the main industry of Emmen.
As mentioned before, the new motor for this car was essentially the expensive Helvetia V8 cut in half, with the 4-speed transmission being the same, though the engine was heavily tuned and optimized. Even with strict noise and efficiency targets, the 1.6L HK495 motor put out nearly 95 PS and over 137 Nm of torque, with 80% of peak torque being reached at just 2000 rpm. The gearing was similar to the Helvetia, in that it was a compromise between daily usability and sheer performance; the gears were relatively short, but long enough for gears 1 and 2 to handle most daily driving speeds. Though it wasn’t as fast accelerating as it could be, this setup still gave it a quick, spirited feel, and soon the car became referred to as the “Meteor” internally.
Pierre Junod, the brilliant and unusual safety engineer who’d helped design the safety features of the Helvetia, brought his ideas to the smaller Berlinetta. He and his team created a space-efficient passenger cell and crumple zones with the assistance of licensed MB patents, padded the dashboard to reduce impact injuries, added seatbelts for the front passengers based off of Swedish feedback, and also designed a shorter steering column and placed the fuel tank over the rear axle. Though small, they hoped that it would be one of the safest cars of it’s class.
In order to focus on the Helvetia, the 4C Berlinetta’s launch was delayed by a year, to 1960. At launch, the only version available was the /9, or “Strich Nuun”, which retailed for a respectable 11,215 SFr or $17,600 AMU. The only at-cost option available was an interior package that added a sunroof, better radio, and replaced the faux leather with real leather. 8 exterior colors were available along with 4 interior colors, and for an extra fee a customer could pay for a two-tone scheme, like in the 4C Berlinetta depicted.
Shortly thereafter, derated engines became available for those looking for more efficiency, and in 1962 the Rapide ultimate performance variant was offered. Other options and refinements were added to perfect the Berlinettta. In 1961, a 3-speed automatic was available as an option; in 1962, rear disk brakes also became an extra-cost option. In 1962 rear lap belts became standard, and in 1963, four-wheel disk brakes were now standard. New body styles were also added, with the cabriolet 4C Spyder in 1961, and the rarer 4C Variant wagon in 1962.
Production lasted until 1966, with it’s successor, the '67 Munot Meteor, being a direct continuation of the lineage. Holtzmann and Kobelt had hoped they had an innovative classic on their hands with this car, but only the market could ultimately decide how it would be remembered.
