Both series were offered in Coupé and Spider bodystyles, the latter featuring a unique roll-back manually-operated targa style convertible top.

As the resulting Montecarlo shared very few components with the other Beta models, Pininfarina was chosen to build the car in its entirety.

The Montecarlo was available as a fixed head "Coupé" and as an open-roof "Spider" with a large folding canvas roof between solid A and B pillars.

The convertible version of the Beta Montecarlo was federalized and marketed in the United States from 1976-1977 as the Lancia Scorpion, to avoid conflicting with the Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

With less aggressive camshaft profiles, a smaller carburetor, and the compression ratio reduced to just 8.1:1, the Scorpion delivered 81 hp (60 kW), down from the 120 of the Montecarlo.

To meet crash test and lighting requirements, the Scorpion had bigger 5-mph bumpers and low-rise pop-up, sealed beam headlights, adding some 130 lbs to the curb weight.

After a two-year hiatus the revised second series was introduced in 1980, nolonger using the Beta prefix and marketed simply as the Lancia Montecarlo.

[9] Exterior changes included a corporate split grille design introduced with the 1979 Delta, glazed rear buttresses for better visibility and, in place of the model badging on the tail, a full width brushed aluminium strip.

[citation needed] The Series One Montecarlos and Scorpions suffered from overly boosted brakes, which caused the fronts to lock up easily in the wet.

[citation needed] The first offspring of the X1/20 project to actually be revealed to the public wasn't the definitive Beta Montecarlo, but rather the Abarth 030.

Nevertheless, Fiat for the time being preferred racing the high volume selling 131 for marketing reasons, and only two Abarth 030s were ever made.

Driven by Giorgio Pianta and Cristine Becker it scored a remarkable second place, just behind the Lancia Stratos Turbo of the duo Andruet-Biche.

In 1980 Turbo also placed first and second at Giro d'Italia automobilistico, an Italian counterpart of the Tour de France Automobile.