I know alot of you yearn for a RWD V8 MonteCarlo. There have been rumors and non-rumors (in the form of Kurt Ritters statements) suggesting a future RWD Monte......but I'm going to say someting which will both shock and anger many of you.....

Fasten your seatbelts, 'cause here goes..... I think the Monte Carlo should remain FWD.

I believe that there is room in the Chevy line-up for both a RWD coupe (Camaro), and a FWD coupe (Monte Carlo).

A certain segment of the population will only consider a front driver.....regardless of the safety feature found on a RWD (ie traction control). They would never even consider the purchase of a RWD.

And what of competitors like Stratus coupe, Sebring, Solara, Accord coupe...they are developing quite a segment. I'd hate to see the Camaro's formula bent to compete with them.

But a FWD Monte Carlo...ahhh....that's another story, because it slots in perfectly. It's big enough, it' comfortable enough, it's easy enough to live with...and for a certain segment...it has the right wheels doing the driving.

It's everything that the Camaro isn't....or shouldn't be.


Now go ahead, tear me apart...I dare you!

 

I think the issue is more over the name than anything. I was a huge fan of the FWD Lumina Z34's. I loved their styling and own niche. Then they stuck the Monte Carlo name on the coupe leading to a bland 4 door only version that they put the Impala name on when it came time to be repladced. For those who know little about cars they think its coool to buy one because well...its an Impala..purists turn thier heads at them. GM does need a mid-sized FWD coupe...however I would much rather it be called Lumina or a name without the heritage.

Maybe they should have let the Monte go like Pontiac did the GTO. Pontiac held the GTO name in such high regard they refused to stick it on a boring crapmobile (73-74 don't count). I am not saying that the current Monte is a boring crapmobile in anyway but its is emotionless.

IMO the Monte Carlo name overall is one of the most needlessly renowned names in GM's stable performance wise. When you compare how many Monte Carlo's were slow luxury coupe/barges to how many could REALLY perform (I.E. LT1 type performance) it is laughable. Just goes to show what NASCAR can do for a cars image.

[redneck voice] By God Captn' That thar Taurus con go 180 mph...saw **** Trickle do it with my own own good eye![/redneck voice] (I don't know if **** Trickle drives a Taurus in NASCAR...but the car and his name just seemed to fit up there on the ghey scale)

HAHA **** is edited......I guess Richard Trickle then

 

I think you make great points across the board here.

 

As I replied to the F-bodies rumored return...

Maybe the next Monte Carlo will step in to take up more V6 coupe sales and leave enough of a market niche for an all-out V8 Camaro. Even if it is more of a Cobra-competitor, I'd like to see it back. The SS and WS6 were nearly $35k anyways, and it seems I was seeing more of those than regulars Zs and TAs last couple years. If the Monte would have a smaller V8 as an option and be the more affordable performance car, that would be the Mustang GT-level competitor. All of this would allow the Corvette to move more upscale and likely closer to Viper pricing.

All of this would make sense if the Monte Carlo is going rwd--why have two rwd V6 coupes (or even two sporty midsize coupes, one fwd, one rwd) in the same lineup going after the same buyers? At least this way the Camaro isn't being compromised.

Additionally, there are a lot of people buying those rwd V6 Mustang coupes; I don't think rwd is a disadvantage sales-wise. It's just a matter of putting together a nice, sporty coupe (with manual transmission) without repulsive styling.

 

having a FWD coupe and a RWD coupe from Chevy is a good idea, but.............. WHERE IS THE RWD COUPE!!!!!!!!!!! it also pisses me off that the fastest thing from Chevy (aside from the Vette) is a truck (reg cab short bed 5.3L) and then in Jan. 2003 an even faster truck will come out and then we will have 2 trucks faster than any car not counting the Vette. Oh wait, I forgot about the SSR, make 3 trucks.

 

....and by no means should this be construed as a case for a milk toast appliance. I can see a need for a FWD Monte Carlo SS which goes much further than the current SS.

Look at where Honda is taking the Accord and how Toyota is making TRD packages available on the Solara.

This my friends...will be Monte Carlo SS territory.

But as Z28x stated..."where is the RWD coupe"

We need a properly done Camaro to balance such a line-up!

 

Z, that's an intresting angle considering Monte Carlo sold about 73,000 cars last year, roughly the same as it's been selling the past few years. Solara coupe sales last year was only about 39,000. I haven't found a site that counts Accord coupes & sedans separately, but I'm guessing Accord coupes are running about the same as Solara's. Cougar didn't do very well either. In that company, obviously Monte is doing something right.

But just from my own selfish view, the only reasons I didn't move from Thunderbird to Monte Carlo was because it was FWD and not nearly as powerful as the SC Bird was. A RWD, fast Monte Carlo (I don't care if it's power came from a V8 or a blown V6), especially with a manual, would be exactly the car I'd want/need. I prefer a coupe with enough room in the back for passengers over long distances, so Solara or Accord wouldn't be the ones I'd consider.

Now, from a marketing point, I think a FWD Malibu based coupe would be closer to the target in size & purpose to those FWD cars you're aiming at. But, so is the RWD Mustang which is selling at close to 200,000 cars per year!

Something to consider.

 

To be honest, I never really liked the "personal luxury coupe" concept. The extreme swankiness of the Monte Carlo was always a major turnoff - the '68-'70 Dodge Charger pointed the way ahead for big coupes, a lesson which MOPAR and the rest of Detroit chose to ignore.

The highpoint of the Monte Carlo lineage was the 1984-88 SS model, a car that had the 3rd Gen. Camaro beaten for style, if not performance. The current iteration points towards a return to the leisure suit 1970's, and really is quite pointless, sales potential aside. This car might be last of the real midsized coupes, upcoming GTO aside, but does it really offer anything unique?

The current Monte Carlo isn't a bad car, and neither is the current Impala, but it just isn't desirable in my eyes. I can say the same thing about the wallflower Solara - the current Camry is better looking (the Camry looks classier than the ES300 too). This big coupe market is just about as pointless as the "cute ute" segment.

On the other hand, guionM hit the nail on the head with a intermediate (Malibu) segment coupe. It always struck me that the coupe version of the Grand Am and Alero carried only a small penalty in practicality, especially considering the rear seat headroom was so limited in the sedan version.

 

Give me a 300 hp, LS1-powered FWD Monte, and I could live with it and give up hoping for RWD. I say this because if I ever get a Monte, it will be a year-round daily driver---don't need a muscle car, as I intend to keep my Hawk for a long while. But I love the look and "swank" of the MC. Always have, always will!

Chevy did a one-off 5.1 and 5.3 LS1-derived FWD MC for the Woodward Drive cruise. I'd kill for it.......

 

OK guys, don't press me to defend a large FWD coupe too rigorously...after all, it's not like I'm defending the Z/28 or anything .

Maybe, let's look at the big picture. Of course we all want a new Camaro , and the upcoming SS concept may indicate a future V8 RWD sedan for Chevy...and of course the C6.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't cry if alot Chevy's came with RWD and V8's......but don't you think Chevy's market segmentation would get alittle blurred if a new Monte Carlo became essentially a large Camaro?

In today's market, how do you justify three completely different RWD V8 coupes, all from the same company.

...and we haven't even discussed where a GTO would slot.

 

I dunno, Ford has several rwd V8 cars and BMW seems to be doing ok with rwd formula.

And anyone asking for 300hp to the front wheels better enjoy the steering wheel jumping out of their hands torque-steer style.

 

But only one V8 RWD coupe.

 

WRONG! T-Bird

EDIT: Hmm, which gave me an interesting thought on this subject. What if Monte were to go more "upscale" like T-Bird has done. Give it the RWD V8 formula in that scenario and it isn't a direct Camaro competitor. It could even have luke-warm performance like the current Thunderbird so it doesn't step on Vette toes either...just a thought. The only thing I could think of that would keep this from happening is that there's no way an upscale car is going to make it running around a Nascar track.

 

Quite Frankly I like the Monte Carlo. I have a '98 Z34 that is a daily driver and I couldn't be happier with it..... Unless it had about 80 to 100 more HP. I do live in the North-East(North-Central MASS) and getting around in the snow is a real concern. My Monte performs in the snow in amazing fashion. I am not sure I would want to part with that. Besides the W platform was not intended for performance cars, they are bread and butter sedans and coupes. They get you from A to B comfortably and efficiently enough. I will admit I have a pipe dream of RWDing and V8ing my Monte. But I am happy with it the way it is(FWD) for what it is(daily driver) and I will look more upscale for a performance car(Camaro/Corvette).

I guess what I am saying is that the Monte is a beautiful car for what it is intended to be. It just shouldn't be called a Monte Carlo.

My Chevy Vision
Keep the car the way it is but change the name. Build another RWD coupe with 300hp, call IT a Monte Carlo. Build another RWD coupe with 350-375hp and call it a Camaro Z28. Build a Camaro with 400hp and call it SS Build another RWD coupe with 425hp call it a Corvette. Build a Corvette with 500hp call it ZO6.

The game would be over. Pack up your marbles Ford, you been shown up by a set of N/A cars. Unless you can squeeze quite a few more pounds of boost into that 4.6 without it hand-grenading.

 

I see your point that not everyone is as hot on RWD as we are. Unfortunately, they are probally 80-90% of Monte Carlo's market. If Impala stays FWD (and the RWD sedan carries a different name) your idea makes alot of sense.

But I think that both a RWD Monte and Camaro can both be marketed effectively and profitably. A RWD Monte & GTO replacement would essentially be the same car, much like Firebird & Camaro were. One slightly more upscale while the other takes the racy position. Monte Carlo was origonally more of a quick luxury car, so I feel it would be more upscale.

Though Camaro would be as you point out, a smaller Monte, it's body would be completely different. No doubt sportier, cheaper, and likely lighter & faster. Marketing would also be very different. I know I'm reaching way back here, but look at the 75 Malibu Classic & Monte Carlo. They not only had the same chassis & powertrains, but they also had the same interiors! But were marketed differently enough to avoid canabalizing each other.

Let me throw this out & get your opinion. Buick currently has no coupes whatsoever. If GM were to go after the Solara & Accord market, wouldn't Buick rather than Chevrolet be a better brand to go that route? I mentioned a Malibu based coupe yesterday, but instead, what about a luxury version of the upcomming Grand Am coupe, sold under Buick?