GM Inside News Forum banner

Monte Carlos

3K views 20 replies 14 participants last post by  69nova 
#1 ·
Am I the only one who kind of thinks that the Monte Carlo is like Chevys lost car? I never hear anything about Monte Carlos. When ever I see Chevy commericials or Chevy ads I never seen Montes. And does anyone have any clue when they are going to change the design of the Monte? They've had the same look since 2000, starting to get old. The Grand Prix has been redone so why not the Monte Carlo? They come off the same production line right?
 
#2 ·
You are right, very rarely you will see a Monte Carlo commercial other than during NASCAR events. I myself own a 2000 model and to this date don't recall seeing commercials during regular TV times. The next style change should be for the 2005 model, from what I hear. As for the same production line, the Monte Carlo is assembled along side the Chevrolet Impala, the Grand prix is assembled with the Buick Regal/Century.
 
#3 ·
I saw that one commercial where the guy is driving a black MC-SS, and he keeps slamming on his brakes to make his buddy spill his coffee.

I think that commercial was meant to appeal to us Dorks, but really, I'd have been more likely to buy a Monte Carlo (aside from its considerable merits) had a bunch of Jawas had been driving it.

Ghrankenstein
 
#4 ·
Originally posted by Ghrankenstein@Nov 2 2003, 07:22 AM
I saw that one commercial where the guy is driving a black MC-SS, and he keeps slamming on his brakes to make his buddy spill his coffee.
Thats the only MC commercial I've seen too. The song playing in the background (a Nelly song I think) mentioned Jeff Gordon who I believe drives a Monte in NASCAR. I dunno if I was the only one to notice that :ph34r:
 
#5 ·
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."

:rolleyes:

I'd love it if GM/Chevy took the Monte more seriously as a real sports car, and not just a cruiser that looks like a NASCAR vehicle. At least it got supercharged this year, and is therefore much more fun to drive. But I test drove one and still found the steering somewhat vague, and the overall feeling just not nearly as sharp or precise as I had hoped.

Maybe SLP will further tune the Monte Carlo Supercharged SS into something I would like even more.
 
#6 ·
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.
 
#7 ·
The Monte Carlo is a great name for a great car but not the current generation its not a bad looking car and I dont have a problem with two doors at all but why did they wait for this year to supercharge it. It should have been done all along and it would have improved the image of the car as well as chevrolet.The monte was always popular and could still be that way it just needs the right image.and the right powertrain (LS1 RWD) and good bold styling.
 
#8 ·
Originally posted by MaxLegroom@Nov 17 2003, 03:07 PM
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.
The problem with that tactic is that the Monte is not going to appeal to any "luxury" car buyers except the hard-core Chevy/GM fanatic (like me). Not in this day & age. The interior is very 90's, and the overall feel is very pre-Cadillac revival "domestic" with the rounded shapes and heavy rubbermaid plastics.

Don't get me wrong, a part of me likes it. It's just a little too mediocre, and doesn't hit the ball out of the park from any angle - styling, performance, or luxury. It's a GM car in the old mold --- "just good enough", but not outstanding.

Let's hope the replacement will score at least on one account.

Personally I think a 3.9L V6 powered restyled GTO would do the trick just fine.
 
#9 ·
It gets enough advertising from NASCAR and is in desperate need of an updating. The headlights on the MC R enough 2 make me wanna kill some one.....GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what were the designers thinking or rather smoking when they came up with that?!?!?!?!?
 
#10 ·
GM's marketing department should be fired. Especially with the supercharged model, none of the upgrades in the motor and transmission are hyped. Not the susepnsion, not the bigger torque converter.
AND strangely enough, all this info is found on www.media.gm.com.

Took my 04 MC to work today for the first time. It drew a crowd even when sitting there in the parking space. I don't think the new GTO will ever get that kind of head turning.
 
#11 ·
I don't know but to me the MC was always a way to have style on a Chevrolet budjet. The Landua tops, wide fender flares of the first to 4 generantion Monte Carlo.
Hec my 78 had good looks but no air conditioning but I didn' mind (my 83 was loaded)
But it was never a sports car right from when they stuffed a big block into the first generation to the SS's of the late 80 and2000's and they sure weren't ment to be a rebadged Lumina Coupe.

I look at the current gen and think I wouldn't buy a Coupe Impala (with ugly headlights) I still want style and am still on a Chevrolet budget.
 
#13 ·
Originally posted by TAFreak@Nov 19 2003, 11:42 PM
I don't think the new GTO will ever get that kind of head turning.
As bad as the GTO is... I'd still much rather have a GTO than a Monte.
holy crap I almost shat myself after that comment.
 
#14 ·
The GTO isn't that bad.
It's just being held to a higher standard. In comparison to other new cars' styling, it is right in the pack. Looking at other GM models, it looks run of the mill. Like a big Cavalier. The back end got the same treatment as the current Pontiacs-it seems that the stylists' budget ran out.
 
#15 ·
yeah, cause pontiac took all that time to design and build the GTO....

When the hell are you guys gunna realize that the car (other then the nose and badges) is just a monaro? GM didnt touch anything but the nose style wise. To say it looks like a cavi... i think your all drunk. I could agree with a GP, but a cavi?




 
#17 ·
Part of the problem with Chevy is GM suits have decided that Chevy would always be a little behind Pontiac. Even though Chevy SS's were running the streets long before DeLorian stuffed a 396 in a Pontiac Tempest. Actually I don't mind Pontiac being a little more upscale than Chevy, EXCEPT in the case of SS vehicles. They should let the cars compete at that level. After all there are Chevy guys and Pontiac guys and there always will be. That was the beauty of the muscle car era, GM let the car guys do their thing. Thats why you got so many cool cars on basiclly the same platforms. A GTO, a Chevelle SS, a Regal GS, a 442 Olds, were the same basic car but oh so different cause the car guys made them different and back then GM wanted it that way.
 
#18 ·
Sorry, but Pontiac was kicking Chevy's *** way before the 64 GTO with the 389.

The Super Duty Catalinas were capable of mid-low 12's in the early 60's...rare yet extremely powerful. Pontiac's 389-428 Engines from the 50's are killer too.

Pontiac should have better performance casr than Chevy, it's how it's always been and should be. Chevy has the Corvette.

Comments: Pontiac fullsize performance reached its peak in 1963. All fullsize models got new sheetmetal for 1963, including stacked headlights. Performance enthusiasts once again turned to the Catalina, the lightest of the Pontiac fullsize coupes. The standard engine was a 389 cid V8 with 283 bhp. Next up were two 421s with 10.75:1 compression ratios: a four barrel with 353 bhp and the Trophy 421 HO (High Output) which sported triple Rochester two-barrel carburetors operated by a progressive throttle linkage and was rated at 370 bhp. For serious drag strip use, buyers could specify the Super Duty 421 which came in three states of tune which all benefited from an increase in the compression ratio from 11.0:1 to 12.0:1 and an increase in the maximum shift point from 5900 rpm to a screaming 6400 rpm. The mildest Super Duty 421, designed for high speed use, used a single four barrel carb and was rated at 390 bhp. Next up was the drag strip version which used a dual four barrel and was again underrated at 405 bhp. This engine came with aluminum exhaust manifolds standard and steel manifolds optional. At the top was a second drag strip version with a dual four barrel carb version and a 13.0:1 compression ratio which Pontiac timidly rated at 410 bhp. Only 88 of these engines were built for all models, and those Catalinas so powered could turn sub 14 second quarter miles. But eager for more performance, Pontiac offered a limited number of Super Stock lightweight Catalinas with the famous "Swiss Cheese" frames (which had grapefruit sized holes drilled into the chassis rails), aluminum axle centers, aluminum front panels and front and rear bumpers, plus numerous other modifications. The net result was a 300 lb weight loss over regular Catalinas, allowing quarter mile times in the low 12s at more than 116 mph. Unfortunately, all of this performance was too much for General Motors and GM instituted a complete ban on competition activity, forcing Pontiac to stop installing all Super Duty components.

Production:

Engines: 389 V8 289 bhp. 421 HO V8 370 bhp. SD 421 390 bhp. SD 421 405 bhp. SD 421 410 bhp.

Performance: SD 421/410: 0-60 in 5.2 seconds, 1/4 mile in 13.7 seconds @ 107 mph.

Super Stock lightweight SD 421/410: 1/4 mile in low 12s at more than 116 mph.

Pontiac before the racing ban was the personification of "Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday."

One year they won like 38 out of 40 races.

(Also notice, those are the rated horsepower. Everyone knows that Pontiac lied their balls off about Horsepower on their vehicles to get an edge over other manufacturers.)
 
#19 ·
Originally posted by yoblues@Dec 8 2003, 04:55 PM
Part of the problem with Chevy is GM suits have decided that Chevy would always be a little behind Pontiac. Even though Chevy SS's were running the streets long before DeLorian stuffed a 396 in a Pontiac Tempest. Actually I don't mind Pontiac being a little more upscale than Chevy, EXCEPT in the case of SS vehicles. They should let the cars compete at that level. After all there are Chevy guys and Pontiac guys and there always will be. That was the beauty of the muscle car era, GM let the car guys do their thing. Thats why you got so many cool cars on basiclly the same platforms. A GTO, a Chevelle SS, a Regal GS, a 442 Olds, were the same basic car but oh so different cause the car guys made them different and back then GM wanted it that way.
I say give them free reign on the GM parts bin, and see who can roll out the coolest rides. Don't constrain them. :type:
 
#21 ·
It's a Sunday and it's sunny and I am cruising in my supercharged Monte Carlo. I've got the radio on and I'm doing the speed limit-no hurry; just enjoying the car.
The car is solid and has that lower end torgue to get you going when you need it.
I've had the car for a month and have no complaints. It hasits own styling that sets it from the Hondas and Toyotas and Saturns and Intrepids.

Argue about who is quicker (I remember those Pontiac 2+2's in the 60's). Think of moving a car of that weight that quickly. And on a carbureted system. I would bet that the today's aftermarket intake manifolds, carburetors (Holley, Edelbrock) and cams would really make these vintage cars even more quicker.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top