Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Chevrolet Monte Carlo at a glance

The Monte Carlo is in our Chevrolet catalogue; the SS 454 and the 1980s SS are part of the American muscle car guide.

The first Monte Carlo and the SS 454 (1970–1972)

The Monte Carlo was a project of Chevrolet's general manager Elliot M. "Pete" Estes. It shared its "A-Special" platform with the Pontiac Grand Prix, stretched ahead of the bulkhead for a long bonnet. Its 116 in wheelbase was four inches longer than that of the Chevelle coupé and one inch above NASCAR's minimum at the time. In 1970 it was offered only as a two-door hardtop.

The SS 454 package added the Turbo-Jet 454 V8 with a four-barrel carburettor, rated at 268 kW (360 hp) gross at 4,800 rpm. The Turbo Hydra-Matic was the only gearbox, which underlined the car's luxury character. 3,823 SS 454s were built in 1970. For 1971 the rating was 272 kW (365 hp) gross, or 213 kW (285 hp) net, and production fell to 1,919; the package was then dropped. Overall Monte Carlo production was 128,600 in 1971 and a first-generation record of 180,819 in 1972.

Colonnade years and downsizing (1973–1980)

The second generation of 1973 moved to GM's new Colonnade A-body with body-on-frame construction. Motor Trend named it Car of the Year for 1973. Sales were nearly 250,000 that year, over 300,000 in 1974 and a record 353,272 in 1976. The Monte Carlo had become a volume model rather than a muscle car.

The 1978 car was downsized: 700 to 800 lb (320 to 360 kg) lighter and 15 inches shorter. It still sold well, with 358,191 cars in 1978 and 316,923 in 1979, before falling to 148,842 in 1980.

The SS returns (1983–1988)

The fourth generation of 1981 used the rear-drive A-body, renamed G-body in 1982 when GM's front-drive A-body cars arrived. For 1983 the SS came back with the 305 High Output V8 at 130 kW (175 hp), rising to 134 kW (180 hp) for 1984. Its aerodynamic nose became the body style of the Monte Carlo in NASCAR. From 1985 the 200-4R overdrive automatic was standard.

The Aerocoupe added a large, steeply raked rear window to help the racing cars on the superspeedways. 200 were built in 1986 in Arlington, Texas, all in white with a burgundy interior, and converted by Cars & Concepts in Michigan to meet NASCAR's homologation rule. In 1987 the Aerocoupe made up 6,052 of 39,251 SS models. Production ended after a shortened 1988 model year.

Front-wheel drive and the last SS (1995–2007)

After a pause the Monte Carlo returned for 1995 as a front-drive coupé on the W-body of the Grand Prix, without a V8; 376,483 were built in five years. The sixth generation of 2000 brought the first front-drive SS in Chevrolet's range. It began with a 3.8 V6 with 149 kW (200 hp) and 305 Nm; for 2004–2005 a supercharged 3.8 had 179 kW (240 hp) and 380 Nm.

For 2006 the SS received a 5.3 litre V8, the first V8 in the Monte Carlo since 1988: 226 kW (303 hp) and 438 Nm. 8,794 SS models were built in 2006 and 6,035 in 2007. GM announced the end in February 2007, and the last two cars, both SS models in Precision Red, left the Oshawa plant on 19 June 2007. Declining coupé sales and the plan to revive the Camaro were the reasons.

NASCAR

The Monte Carlo raced in NASCAR from 1971 to 1988 and again from 1995, when wider rear quarter panels were allowed. Its 396 Cup Series wins are the most of any nameplate in the series' history. The last one came in the 2007 Dickies 500 with Jimmie Johnson. Compare the SS 454 with the Chevrolet Chevelle SS and other big-block cars in our muscle car power ranking.

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