I'd think that when the Impala is changed, the Monte Carlo will be as well. This will be especially tasty if these cars go RWD. I would, however, like to point up something. The Monte Carlo's main mission was never really to be a sports car. Originally, it was Chevy's answer to the Thunderbird, Grand Prix, etc. There was always meant to be a certain amount of luxury involved. Remember the original "half Ferrari, half Rolls Royce" brief for the Riviera, and you'll get the point. Of course, that the Monte strikes muscle car poses is mere icing on the cake. In the 70's the Monte was as good looking as a Eldorado, debatably more so, and certainly more fun to drive. I have many good memories involving the '76 Landau that we had in the family, including a impulsive attempt at autocrossing with it.
If there is one good reason that the car is not advertised, it is that that sector of the market has been in decline. Even worse than the Monte Carlo picture is that of the Chrysler Sebring/Dodge Stratus coupes. At one point, they could have stopped building them for the rest of the model year. When it is normal to have a 60 day stock of a vehicle available, there was, at one time, a 231 day supply of the Sebring coupe. I don't know what it is like for the Monte Carlo, but in comparison, it flies off the shelves. A Monte is a relatively common sight, a Sebring is not, at least not the newer ones.
Ming said
The worst one is the one with the Running of the Bulls in Spain. It's funny -- it has the guys running from the bulls, and the bulls running from a Monte Carlo. It's a NASCAR Monte, with the engine rumbling and revving. It finishes with the tag line:
"Monte Carlo, We'll be there." As if it were a commercial for the showroom car.
What they forgot to say is:
"We'll be there as a FWD, V6 powered car that the bulls wouldn't have been scared of because it doesn't make any noise."
At this rate, it is clear that among those of us with half a brain, NASCAR style win on Sunday, sell on Monday no longer works, either. And why not? These races no longer prove that my car is faster than your car. You can't buy a car off the showroom floor and take it racing. I think if you took these drivers and told them that they had to race the real thing, they'd be back in the trailers, most of them, looking for a place to lie down. Especially those driving Fords, as they'd well and truly have their a$$es handed to them if such a race were to go down.
Ming, the coupe you choose is a matter of personal taste. I hate to paraphrase Car and Driver after the stick they take in these forums, but what they said in that comparison test a while back is true. The Monte Carlo is meant, apparently, to be about room and comfort, but real driver involvement calls for the Stratus or Sebring coupes. I've driven both cars, and they aren't wrong. At least there is a 5 speed available in the Sebring/Stratus.
Considering the sales of the respective cars, apparently driver involvement is no longer a requirement.