It was based on the International Scout, with a new body built by Fissore, with whom Monteverdi had a long standing relationship, as well as a more luxurious interior and available Chrysler V8 engines.

[2] There were relatively few luxury SUVs offered in Europe at this time, with the Safari's main competitors being the Range Rover, as well as low volume models from customizers like the Felber Oasis, which was also based on an International Scout.

These include air conditioning, new seats with optional leather upholstery (cloth or faux leather as standard), an automatic transmission, switchable four-wheel drive, electric windows, power locks, Monteverdi steering wheel, redesigned center console and dashboard, and a new gauge cluster.

Standard equipment was originally a Chrysler 5.2 litre V-8 engine delivering a claimed 152 PS (112 kW) at 4,000 rpm and 346 N⋅m (255 lb⋅ft) of torque.

Monteverdi also sold a lower priced entry level alternative to the Safari called the Sahara, which retained most of the Scout's original bodywork, with some modifications such as the quad headlights, grille, bumpers, and badging.