I've heard several different rumors on this board regarding the future of the Monte. I've heard its going to be a 4 door. I've heard its going to RWD. I've heard its being cancelled entirely...

Does anyone know what is going on with it? I have a crazy idea...maybe this new "Chevy Coupe," assuming its too big to be called Camaro, will be called Monte Carlo? Maybe that's why the '06 was such a light re-styling? I know many here seem to believe if its not Camaro it will be Chevelle, but Monte Carlo has way more relevance in the marketplace today, especially with the popularity of Nascar and all.

I know its also been rumored the "Chevy Coupe" is not the real basis for the Camaro, and that the Camaro will be smaller, a "Zeta lite" if you will. So could there be MC and Camaro? Dreams would come true, at least for me...

In the meantime, I really, really like the new MC. It does something for me the GTO doesn't...and I don't understand why. The GTO is unquestionably a better car, and yet I'm really psyched about the new V8 MC SS. Maybe its the fact the car will be 4-5k less, or maybe its the fact its a Chevy, or its the whole Nascar thing...who knows. I know the FWD factor makes it far more appealing as a daily driver to me, which I am sure many here will disagree with I hope I'm right that this so called Chevelle might actually be called MC, because to me, that's what this car really is...

If not, I'd still like to grab an '07 or '08 used a few years after production of the FWD car ends to replace my GP with. Other than the Cobalt, this is the only Chevy these days to really get me excited, and the Cobalt is just too damned small for me. Just curious to see what people know...

 

GM invested minimal money into the Monte Carlo's redesign for a reason.

As far as to if it will be a sedan or coupe, here's the scenario:

The current FWD Chevrolet Impala is consistantly one of GM's top 5 selling vehicles (currently it's running #1 at GM). There is obviously still a strong demand here, when combined with what I call the brainwashed (the people who think RWD+Winter=Fire, Death & Destruction to everyone) mean GM can continue selling FWD Impalas almost forever.

Chevrolet wants a Zeta based sports sedan as a top model sedan. Unless Chevrolet wants to do an Olds Cutlass with the Impala name (Oldsmobile took to naming everything with 4 wheels "Cutlass" at one time), they are going to need a separate name. Zeta sedans are going to be marketed as a "aspirational" sports sedan more than a family hauler.

Finally, there seems to be ample evidence that the Pontiac version of "Zeta" will replace both the Grand Prix & Bonneville. The current Bonny's due for the boneyard next year (unless GM decides to base it off the upcoming DTS) and the Grand Prix is the old man of the mid-lux chassis.


The wild card in this is the Camaro replacement. If it's a version of the next GTO, then I'd say the 2 door Monte Carlo is dead. If the Camaro replacement is a unique car in GM's lineup (say a smaller fastback or hatchback), then that looks better for a 2 door Monte, which would be Chevy's version of the GTO.

My opinion? Monte Carlo will become the RWD zeta sedan, the Chevrolet SS will be Chevy's version of Pontiac's GTO (essentially a 2 door version of the Monte & Grand Prix replacement), and Camaro will take a heritage position on a modified zeta chassis the way Ford has modified the DEW to create a one off "Heritage" Mustang.

 

so if i'm disecting this right, the mc might be being dropped for a sedan
and there goes the last 2 door out the window (as in sedan replacing it, 4 doors)
so that would only leave the 2 door camaro
i think that'd be a huge mistake to let go of a 2 door mc for a 4 door sedan

 

I edited my post while you were writing this.

 

Question...when you mean Heritage Position, are we talking retro? Or do we mean "traditional?" I assume we mean traditional, as I know its been discussed Chevy will have retro cues but will not be nearly as retro as Mustang...

Will the coupe really have a chance to be simply called SS? I still think calling the Chevy GTO a Monte makes a lot of sense, with the Camaro being the smaller version. Who says Chevy can't have a different name for the Zeta sedan? Or, call the Zeta sedan Monte as well...no one said you can't have a 2 and a 4 door the same name! Interesting post guion, and I was hoping you could help shed some light on the matter...

2 questions...

1) How "wild" is this wild card Camaro? Still very up in the air? Has anything happened recently you can share? Imply away, or PM me
2) Any thoughts on the Bonnie/GP replacement's name? Please tell me GP and NOT G8 or something asinine...G6 is bad enough. Grand Prix suffers no bad brand image, and has many loyal customers, myself included. I want to drive a GP, not a G8. I'm actually more interested in this than the fate of the Monte nameplate!!!

Any info, as always, is sincerely appreciated...

 

I'm thinkin "heritage" means solid axle.(modified zeta)

Impala needs to be Chevrolets top sports sedan on zeta. If they keep Impala fwd and call the rwd sedan Caprice it'll be odd. Caprice SS never sounded right..although they did make em'.

 

damn you gui
yea, i would hope that you put chevrolet ss in there as just something, and in reality, i would hope that it wouldn't be called anything close to that (which i wouldn't think it would)
but i think keeping impala where it's at is a smart decision and hopefully they just get the new zeta sedan and keep the monte as well
but with the light redesign, is this still an option?
or could chevy have already made up it's mind on the monte (as in, they lightly redesigned it just to hold it over til the new zeta sedan comes out, then kill it)?

 

I highly doubt that. The most likely senario is the same suspension as the GTO but with all new sheetmetal, a shorter wheelbase, and a lower ride height.

 

Not design, but position. Take Mustang. Ford recognizes it as a heritage (or perhaps, historical) car. Everything else is business, Mustang is special. Ford's going to find a way to make it profitable. What I'm feeling about Camaro's direction is that GM wants it to go the same way. Chevrolet WANTS a Camaro. It's one of the most recognized car names in the US (still). GM is going to great lengths to use the name again without repercussions. There's other things going on behind the scenes that shows that GM is dead serious about making the next Camaro related to it's past.

That's what I mean by heritage. If Camaro happens, it's going to be to Chevrolet what the Mustang is to Ford, the Beetle to Volkswagen, Monaro was to Holden, etc... A car that defines the brand, but is accessible to anyone who wants one.

1) I believe fbodfather made a post here not to long ago, and I don't want to steal his thunder. But I've talked to some people, and lets just say the past few months or so have broken in a very good direction.

2) There's no way even Bob Lutz can even tell you the final name of the RWD Pontiac sports sedan. It's being made under a code name but as we have seen recently, names can change at the very last moment.


One thing I've learned is that you can't pin down much about cars that aren't bread & butter sedans till towards the end of development. Everything is in flux till then. The Zeta sport sedans are all but carved in stone. They probally won't spred to mid sized sedans the way it was initially envisioned, but the big cars are a go.

But I suspect the original plan was to call the Chevy coupe "SS" to match Pontiac's performance "GTO" nameplate. I no longer believe this Chevy coupe was ever intended to be a Camaro (what if after this coupe came out, Chevy decided to bring back the Camaro?).

I believe GM has examed other options for naming the Chevy coupe (Monte Carlo, Chevelle,...) and that Camaro's replacement is an entirely different vehicle.

As for Impala, I wouldn't expect it to change for at least another 3-4 years (2010).

 

YES!!! It's about damn time Chevrolet takes Camaro seriously....devotes resources and support....and doesn't treat it like the Corvette's ugly duckling younger brother.

 

gui, you honestly scare me when you say heritage
i like the idea that it's gonna be a great car (like stang to ford) but anytime i hear heritage i think upright stance and bad handling (much like the stang, although i've heard it got better on the 05s right?)
and i'm not so sure i understand this
are there gonna be 1 or 2 chevy coupes come...let's say 2008?

edit: nevermind, looked back at your original post, i'm a little forgetful
i can only hope the camaro fills a special slot and we still have another coupe in chevy's stable (whether it be chevelle or monte, doesn't matter to me )

 

Not gonna steal Red's thunder. Nope. Uh uh. ain't gonna do it.

 

I've always liked the Montes.....


just wanted to let everyone know...

 

I didnt mind driving my ex's 98 Mustang. Seats werent too good, but it was decently comfy and easy to drive. Much easier then driving a 4th gen fbody. Cant complain really.

The 05's a MUCH better. After driving one I'd jump ship if I didnt have so much chevy in my blood. The 05 Mustang is a great car - and the more you look at them, they either never get you excited or they grow on you like Kudzu.

Impala stays where it is. Monte goes RWD. Camaro comes back. Corvette keeps going. Malibu stays. Cobalt stays. Aveo stays. We hope the HHR doesnt do badly, and the Cavalier goes away.

If the Monte goes RWD and has potential, rebadge it, stick a v6 Turbo in, call it the Buick Grand National (instant Niche car that would have huge collector appeal) But that has one pre-requisite... The Monte Carlo/Regal/GN had some great lines in the 80's. I still love they way they look in black. I dont know why, but it has one of the most beautiful blends of muscle, "bad boy", and class. The GN looks mean standing still, but very soft, subtle, and refined. The monte carlo since the early 90's has NOT had that. The new redesign helps a tiny tiny bit - but not nearly enough. I dont doubt Chevy has a rework in progress that will do the job nicely.


Though the Holden/Zeta/Sigma nonsense is up in the air, perhaps the thought was mentioned somewhere - rebadge/restyle a GTO/Monaro as a Chevelle and take the Aussie idea and have a Ute badged as an El Camino..... That would be cool, but a chevelle would go against a Monte Carlo in market segment and there isnt a good way around that. Sadly I think with the SSR's faults and lack of sales the El Camino would never return. But who knows. Personally I dislike driving trucks so an El Camino that could tow 3500lb would be nice... Oh look! That's what a Ute is rated for!

Gunion--- What do you know about the Holden Adventura? Looks like something in the Volvo/Audi wagon Territory. Also, have we heard anything more on the Torena TT36, or is that something that's getting fussed over with the Zeta/Sigma nonsense? There are so many other niche vehicles that could be made in GM's lineup it's scary...