The Chevrolet Monte Carlo is a two-door coupe that was manufactured and marketed by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. Deriving its name from the city in Monaco, the Monte Carlo was marketed as the first personal luxury car of the Chevrolet brand. Introduced for the 1970 model year, the model line was produced across six generations through the 2007 model year, with a hiatus from 1989 until 1994. The Monte Carlo was a variant of the Pontiac Grand Prix throughout its production.
From 1970 to 1972, the Monte Carlo rode on the unique "A-Special" platform with the Grand Prix, then switched to the standard A-body intermediate chassis from 1973 through 1977. For 1978, the Monte Carlo line underwent downsizing, but was still considered a midsized coupe. The rear-wheel-drive A-body platform of this generation of Monte Carlo was redesignated as the G-body when GM's front-wheel-drive A-body cars were introduced for the 1982 model year. After an abbreviated 1988 model year, the Monte Carlo was replaced by the two-door Chevrolet Lumina.
For the 1995 model year, the Monte Carlo was revived, replacing the two-door Lumina. It shared the front-wheel drive W-platform with the two-door Grand Prix, and was the largest coupe in the Chevrolet lineup. After the 2002 model year, the Grand Prix coupe was discontinued, and the Monte Carlo became the largest two-door model produced by an American auto manufacturer.
In response to declining sales of the model line, Chevrolet discontinued the Monte Carlo after the 2007 model year. During much of its production, the Monte Carlo represented the Chevrolet brand in stock car racing. During the 1980s, the Monte Carlo SS was introduced, featuring aerodynamically enhanced styling; as part of its revival, the Monte Carlo again represented Chevrolet in stock car racing from 1995 through its discontinuation.
Development For the 1968 model year, GM instituted a split-wheelbase policy for its A-platform intermediate-sized cars. Two-door models would have a wheelbase, for sedans, and for station wagons. In 1969, GM introduced the Pontiac Grand Prix, a two-door that used the A-platform layout that was stretched ahead of the firewall to make it long. This gave the design an unusually long hood design, helping the new Grand Prix to outsell its larger B-body predecessor despite higher prices. The new layout was first known as the A-body Special, but would evolve into its own class known as the G-platform.
The Monte Carlo began as Chevrolet's version of the Pontiac Grand Prix, as conceived by Elliot M. (Pete) Estes, general manager of Chevrolet, and Chevrolet's chief stylist, David Holls, giving Chevrolet and Pontiac an alternative to the E-body Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado. They modeled the styling on the contemporary Cadillac Eldorado. However, much of the body and structure were shared with the Chevrolet Chevelle (firewall, windshield, decklid, and rear window were the same). New exterior "coke bottle styling" featured concealed windshield wipers. A fiber-optic exterior light monitoring system was optional.
A mid-1990s article in the magazine Chevrolet High Performance stated that the first generation Monte Carlo was known to Chevrolet management under the working name Concours. The usual practice at the time was that all Chevrolet model development names started with a "C". At one point, the proposal called for a formal coupe, sedan, and convertible. It has been noted that the sedan resembled a full-size Oldsmobile 98 before the use of the GM G platform, with at least one photograph showing the pull-up door handles that would be introduced on the 1970 Camaro and then on 1971 Vegas and full-sized Chevys. Monte Carlos received this design on the 1973 second-generation model. The 1970 Monte Carlo was available only as a two-door hardtop.
The Monte Carlo was developed at Chevrolet under the leadership of Pete Estes, it was formally introduced in September 1969 by John Z. DeLorean, who succeeded Estes as Chevrolet's general manager earlier in the year after previously heading the Pontiac division, where he led the development of the Series 276 Grand Prix.
First generation (1970–1972)
1970 The styling of the 1970 model-year Monte Carlo is distinguished by its chromed rectangular grille having a fine grid pattern of 720 small squares with two horizontal dividers and centered in it was a chrome and red crest emblem adorned by a Corinthian helmet (commonly referred to as the "knight's crest"), a thin hood spear with no vertical hood ornament, round headlamps with rounded chrome bezels (which appeared on a prototype 1970 Chevelle front end proposal which was rejected for the four headlight design), circular parking lamps inset into the front bumper directly below the headlamps, and taillights with chrome trim around the perimeter of the lens, only.
The standard powertrain was the Chevrolet "Turbo-Fire" small-block V8 with a two-barrel carburetor, rated at (gross) at 4500 rpm and of torque at 2800 rpm, mated to a column-mounted 3-speed Synchro-Mesh manual transmission. Front disc brakes were standard equipment. The dashboard was identical to the Chevelle except for simulated wood veneer trim, which was according to the Chief Stylist a photographic reproduction of the elm trim used by Rolls-Royce, and higher grade nylon or vinyl upholstery and deep-twist carpeting were used. Base priced at US$3,123, the Monte Carlo cost $218 more than a comparable Chevelle Malibu, yet lower than a Chevrolet Caprice Sport Coupe.
Various options were available. A two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission (on engines only), three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic, or a four-speed manual; most Monte Carlos were built with the Turbo-Hydramatic. Variable-ratio power steering, power windows, air conditioning, power seats, "rally" wheels, bucket seats, center console, full instrumentation, rear wheel fender skirts, and other accessories were also available, bringing the price of a fully equipped Monte Carlo to more than $5,000.
Optional engines included the four-barrel carbureted "Turbo-Fire" small block V8, rated at at 4800 rpm and at 3200 rpm; the "Turbo-Fire" () with a two-barrel carburetor, rated at at 4800 rpm and at 3800 rpm; and the "Turbo-Jet" () with a four-barrel carburetor, rated at at 4800 rpm and at 3200 rpm.The two Chevrolet 400 CID V8s offered this year were actually different designs. The "Turbo-Fire" 400 was a small block V8 engine, related to the 350 engine, while the "Turbo-Jet" 400 was a slightly enlarged version of the big block V8, and had an actual displacement of.)
The sporty and most powerful option was the Monte Carlo SS 454 package. Priced at $420, it included a standard Turbo-Jet () with a four-barrel carburetor, rated at at 4800 rpm. It also included heavy-duty suspension, wider wheels and tires, "SS 454" badging, and an automatic load-leveling rear suspension. The Turbo Hydra-Matic three-speed automatic was the only transmission available for this package. The rear axle came standard with a 3.06 ratio, with 2.56 and 3.31 available for $222 extra. Total SS 454s production was 3,823 for the year.
A labor strike at Chevrolet's Flint, Michigan, assembly plant (where most Monte Carlo production was scheduled) during the early months of the 1970 model year immediately following the car's introduction on September 18, 1969, limited overall model-year sales to 159,341; short of the projected 185,000. During those early months, Monte Carlos were in short supply, with full production not achieved until February 1970.
Popular Mechanics reported that 82% of readers who bought a Monte Carlo got one for the styling. However, 10.1% of readers disliked the amount of rear legroom.
1971
The 1971 model saw minor styling changes, mostly cosmetic. The headlamp bezels were more of a squircle shape with rectangular front parking lamps. The grille had no horizontal divider, and the openings were rectangular. The hood spear included a stand-up ornament with "Chevrolet" script lettering. The grille emblem featured the year, "1971" in Roman numerals. The trunk lock keyhole had the Monte Carlo crest surrounding it. The taillights now had two horizontal and one vertical chrome strip. The SS model featured new "European" symbol control knobs and a four-spoke steering wheel became optional. AM/FM stereo radios with 8-track tape players were also optional. Mechanically it was largely unchanged, although the small-block Turbo-Fire 400 two-barrel engine was dropped. Other engines had compression ratios lowered to allow the use of regular leaded, low-lead, or unleaded gasoline, per a GM corporate edict. Engine ratings fell to for the base Turbo-Fire two-barrel, for the Turbo-Fire 350-4V, and for the Turbo-Jet 400. The SS 454 engine was raised to a nominal rating despite the reduction in compression ratio. This increase in horsepower resulted from the 454 engine using the more aggressive camshaft compared to the previous 454 rating in the 1970 Chevrolet Corvette and full-sized sedans.
Chevrolet listed both gross and SAE net horsepower figures in 1971, with the impending change to SAE net ratings in 1972. The ratings compared as follows:
EngineDisplacementCarburetorGross hpNet hpTurbo-Fire 350 CID V8 5733 cm3 2-bbl 245 hp 165 hpTurbo-Fire 350 CID V8 5733 cm3 4-bbl 270 hp 175 hpTurbo-Jet 400 CID V8 6570 cm3 4-bbl 300 hp 260 hpTurbo-Jet 454 CID V8 7446 cm3 4-bbl 365 hp 285 hp
After this year, the SS 454 package would be discontinued after the production of 1,919 units, but the 454 CID V8 engine would remain optional in Monte Carlos through 1975. The reason for discontinuing the SS was that the Monte Carlo was marketed as a luxury vehicle instead of a muscle car.
The Monte Carlo was considered the best-suited Chevrolet model for stock car racing by most NASCAR teams due to its wheelbase (only one inch above NASCAR's minimum requirements at that time, the Chevelle two-door body style had a shorter 112-inch wheelbase) and long-hood design which placed the engine further back in the chassis than most other vehicles for better weight distribution. Thus, the Monte Carlo became Chevy's standard-bearer for NASCAR from 1971 until 1989.
Production of the 1971 Monte Carlo started slowly due to a 67-day corporate-wide walkout (labor strike) that coincided with the introduction of the 1971 models in September 1970. This left dealerships with only a small shipment of 1971 models (built before the strike) in stock until the strike was settled in mid-November 1970, and then slow-going in reaching normal production levels until around January 1, 1971. Model-year production ended at 128,600, including 1,919 SS models.
A total of twelve 1971 Monte Carlos were shipped to Australia in 1971 and converted to RH drive, four of these were SS models from the 1,919 produced.
1972 A Cadillac-like egg-crate grille similar to the 1971 Chevrolet Caprice, rectangular front parking lamps moved to the left and right edges of the grille, a wider hood spear without stand-up ornament, and a metal rear trim molding highlighted the changes to the 1972 Monte Carlo, the final year for the first-generation design. The SS was dropped, but a new Monte Carlo Custom option appeared as a one-year-only offering that included a unique suspension and other items previously included with the SS option. Unlike the departed SS package, it was available with any engine on the roster. The Monte Carlo Custom badging was similar to the Impala Custom.
The engines were essentially unchanged, but an industry-wide switch to SAE net hp numbers reduced the rated power of all Chevrolet engines. Chevrolet did not list gross horsepower figures for 1972. Compared to the 1971 model year output, only the 402 and 454 had a decrease in power. The new ratings for the Monte Carlo were: