Z284ever

GM has announced that Impala and Monte Carlo will get V8's. No word on when or if they will be FWD or RWD.

Also full sized trucks and SUV's will get 20 inch wheels.

Cadillac and upscale Buicks will get 18 inchers.

cmc

Where is this announcement?

cmc

Aha.

http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=42395

Z284ever

Here's the link

http://www.autonews.com/articles.cms?articleId=42395

Z284ever

Well, if anything....I think that this confirms that Monte Carlo will be around for awhile.

I know for a fact that up to now, FWD and GENIII smallblock don't mix. Just too much low end torque to be practical in a FWD.

Either these issues have now been resolved, or RWD Monte's and Impalas are on the way.

cmc

The Pontiac 4.4 may be another candidate. Small block isn't the only V8 from GM.

Z284ever

I suppose that they could use the 4.4. But I just don't see Chevy putting a 4 valve motor in it's cars. Also...it seems inconcievable to me that Chevy would use any other V8 other than the "corporate" smallblock Chevy.

Burmite

To me, that just means that the Monte Carlo and Impala will be going to RWD. This then goes along with the information about the Grand Prix going to RWD with a GTO and Chevelle being built on the same frame. This also opens up 5th gen possibilities too.
But think about it, if the Camaro goes on this line, there will be 5 different cars on the same chassis! Wow. They're more distinct and different too unlike a lot of GM cars that are reskinnings of each other.

cmc

When you get down to it there's absolutely nothing wrong with picking a superb chassis and suspension platform and deploying it across N (where N is a fairly large number, between 5 and 15) product lines/brand names. A simple platform yielding a large number of vehicles will quickly pay off the R&D, drive down the cost of new and replacement parts, and increase profit margins, allowing the development of more and cooler things.

If GM finds a sufficiently simple and robust platform with which to do this, then I see only good coming of it.

kizz

as far as the GP, it was touched on recently, and it would appear that Pontiac will have a majority of RWD cars if this is true! I never would've expected that last year. I'm excluding SUV/crossover heaps, but GP, GTO, and Solstice all RWD, Grand Am FWD with AWD availability. Possible AWD on the GP from what I hear too. The GP is the one where the jury's still out but even if that does not materialize, I'll be happy with the GTO / Solstice! Brighter days ahead

crYnOid

Holden have 24 (I think) variants of one platform with more to come, so I can see their future platform supporting all those vehicles easily.

SNEAKY NEIL

Wow, that is great news. I hope, of course, that they will be RWD. People might say that a Monte Carlo with a V8 might cut into Camaro sales or deminish the case for it but I think if the V8 is say a 4.8, for example, and the Camaro gets a 5.7, they could both live in harmony and be different enough. If it does get an engine as large as a Camaro, than that could spell trouble..........I don't forsee that happening.

formula79

RWD Grand Prix in 06...

RWD Monte and Implala shortly thier after..

Remember Holden will be done the next generation V-car in 05...and it will be a fully federalized design...all they have to do is build it here

Darth Xed

You gotta figure the V8 Monte and Impala to be at leats a few years away, considering that they have already said the S/C 3800 is going into the SS versions of each soon (04).