The Last Chevrolet Monte Carlo Rolls off The Line

[Col Klink]

So are they tooling the line up for Camaro already then??

[Z16monte]

Originally Posted by inov8r

Andrew, the problem is that when the 1974 MC WAS part of a popular market segment, gas was "cheap", the influence of environmental and safety regulations was much less than today, and the car, nicely equipped, could be purchased for a smaller percentage of the average person's annual income. By 1997, just 10 years ago, when the last of the B-body models was being cleared from dealer inventory--cars with the same basic chassis, driveline and dimensions of your Dad's 74 MC--the automobile market, and GM's position in that market, had changed CONSIDERABLY.

The Caprice/Impala wasn't killed for poor sales, per say. They actually sold quite well. Much better than their competition, the Crown Vic. They were killed because GM felt they could sell even more trucks if they could build them. So they closed the Doraville plant, remodeled and build trucks there now.
Ed

[AndrewGS]

Originally Posted by Z16monte

The Caprice/Impala wasn't killed for poor sales, per say. They actually sold quite well. Much better than their competition, the Crown Vic. They were killed because GM felt they could sell even more trucks if they could build them. So they closed the Doraville plant, remodeled and build trucks there now.
Ed

Actually, they built the last B and D-Bodies in Arlington, TX. They moved to SUV production in 1997.

[Greenday91490]

Originally Posted by rsbaker

I still don't understand why there is no replacement or at least a Coupe version of Impala or Malibu. This is another sector that GM is abandoning when they should be offering new exciting product. There are lots of people who prefer sporty Coupes to 4 door Sedans. I am one of them!

Pontiac has coupe offerings in those segments, maybe they are finally trying not to get models to cannibalize each other :P

[SS4EVER]

Originally Posted by Col Klink

So are they tooling the line up for Camaro already then??

The dies for the new Camaro are not slated to arrive until late 2007 early 2008. Plant #1 is still producing the Impala and as far as I know #2 is still producing the Buick LaCrosse/Allure and Pontiac GP. So to answer your question, unfortunately not tooling up yet.

[Z16monte]

Originally Posted by AndrewGS

Actually, they built the last B and D-Bodies in Arlington, TX. They moved to SUV production in 1997.

Yup you're right Doraville just got stuck in my head for some reason.
Ed

[ChevySScoupes]

Thats how Chevy's become classics just make them for a few years and then bring them back again.

My MC is a 2001 SS coupe with 22" wheels and it sill turns heads.
Yeah its a chick magnet because its a Heavy Chevy, Wide body SS and it got balls.

Its too bad GM is following toyota, honda and nissan on its car designs,
wrong move. There is not one Rap artist who has never mention a Chevrolet car in their lyrics.
Chevrolet sure is recognize by people who understand original body style.

In Los Angeles it feels good pulling up in a Super Sport next to any other car and hearing the thundering exhaust from my Monte Carlo.

Especially when I make his girl look twice @ the chevy bowtie emblem
when she's inside his bnw crusin down Bevely Hills,Ca (true story) buddy.
1 of many moments.

Chevy I'll be there.

[AndrewGS]

Originally Posted by ChevySScoupes

Thats how Chevy's become classics just make them for a few years and then bring them back again.

My MC is a 2001 SS coupe with 22" wheels and it sill turns heads.
Yeah its a chick magnet because its a Heavy Chevy, Wide body SS and it got balls.

Its too bad GM is following toyota, honda and nissan on its car designs,
wrong move. There is not one Rap artist who has never mention a Chevrolet car in their lyrics.
Chevrolet sure is recognize by people who understand original body style.

In Los Angeles it feels good pulling up in a Super Sport next to any other car and hearing the thundering exhaust from my Monte Carlo.

Especially when I make his girl look twice @ the chevy bowtie emblem
when she's inside his bnw crusin down Bevely Hills,Ca (true story) buddy.
1 of many moments.

Chevy I'll be there.

Word to yo' mother!

[GreenGTPrix]

Does anyone know how many Monte Carlos were made in its last year? I am sad to say that I rarely see new ones on the road and it feels like they stopped making them SEVERAL years ago.

[LnLSS]

this may help you

http://media.gm.com/servlet/GatewayS...=6&docid=40014

[ksr]

The last MC was possibly one of the most-hated cars on a lot of car discussion sites. I never understood the venom.

I had an '02, and it was without a doubt the best built car I've owned. I've never had any mechanical trouble with any of my cars, but there have been some paint or fit and finish flaws in some of them. The MC was perfect.

The styling wasn't to some people's tastes, and the interior, while nicely designed, used a lot of cheap materials. The thin plastic dash panel in front of the passenger seat was pathetic. The hollow thump it made when you tapped it was kind of embarrassing.

Nonetheless, the car was enjoyable and practical. For a big, FWD coupe, it handled quite well too.

[F14CRAZY]

Originally Posted by ChevySScoupes

Thats how Chevy's become classics just make them for a few years and then bring them back again.

My MC is a 2001 SS coupe with 22" wheels and it sill turns heads.
Yeah its a chick magnet because its a Heavy Chevy, Wide body SS and it got balls.

Its too bad GM is following toyota, honda and nissan on its car designs,
wrong move. There is not one Rap artist who has never mention a Chevrolet car in their lyrics.
Chevrolet sure is recognize by people who understand original body style.

In Los Angeles it feels good pulling up in a Super Sport next to any other car and hearing the thundering exhaust from my Monte Carlo.

Especially when I make his girl look twice @ the chevy bowtie emblem
when she's inside his bnw crusin down Bevely Hills,Ca (true story) buddy.
1 of many moments.

Chevy I'll be there.

I have a few rap songs in my head with a Chevy mentioned. Ever wondered what a Six Fo is?

[F14CRAZY]

The Nascar marketing sucked...I think the Monte itself was/is a nice car, but otherwise I think of it as being a hick/redneck mobile, usually dusty from dirt roads, the "Intimidator" thing (you ain't intimidating me...), stickers of numbers, usually driven by women during the day and the Nascar dads in the evening

(note: all above is strictly my opinion and is not intended to offend anyone)

[GMfan1111]

Originally Posted by F14CRAZY

The Nascar marketing sucked...I think the Monte itself was/is a nice car, but otherwise I think of it as being a hick/redneck mobile, usually dusty from dirt roads, the "Intimidator" thing (you ain't intimidating me...), stickers of numbers, usually driven by women during the day and the Nascar dads in the evening

(note: all above is strictly my opinion and is not intended to offend anyone)

Actually i liked both earnhardt models (I thought they brought a little personality to the monte) but I agree with everything else you said. The monte was and still is a nice 2 door coupe with decent performance (if you bought one beginning in 2004) and it was actually a pretty practical car but interior quality sucked the tailights were ugly and Chevy underpowered the SS version during the first few years before kinda correcting that problem in 04 with the supercharged V6 and then adding real SS performance in 06 with the small block V8

[fastball]

The venomous fate the Monte Carlo encountered in it's last (2000-2007) iteration is due to the fact that, in 2000, it was nothing more than a Lumina coupe. In what was yet another brilliant PR move by GM at the time, they slap a revered nameplate on a low buck people mover. It would have sold exactly the same amount of units had they just continued to call it the Lumina and Lumina Z34.

The Monte died in 1988. The 2000-present model is just a joke, I don't care if it's supercharged or the 5.3 V8. The 1988 Monte Carlo SS with the 305 TPI can run circles arount it - litterally, thanks to the fact you don't get vociferous understeer with rear wheel drive. Thank you GM for puting it out of it's misery once and for all, and for making room for the PROPER return of the beloved Camaro. At least the new Camaro is a CAMARO! It looks like it and it should drive like it. It will be driven by the proper set of wheels, with the right engines and transmissions available. It will not share a single screw with a front wheel drive sedan of lesser stature.