When Chevrolet launched the current versions of its Impala sedan and Monte Carlo coupe a few years back, they caught on better than a lot of people thought they would, seeing as how they were doing business in a segment ruled by Japanese products.
But people liked the fact that Impala and Monte Carlo offered large car interior space (as measured by the U.S. government) but sold for mid-size car prices. It's not often talked about, but cars from Japanese firms too often reflect the compact size of their creators than the more expansive dimensions of North American consumers.
With so many people finding extra comfort as well as initial quality (top of the list, ahead of the Japanese brands) in these cars, GM added a third shift to the Oshawa assembly plant to keep up with demand.
Since the new models will add more features that North Americans like (including a real fire-breathing V-8), there's no question that the 2006 Monte Carlo will be a hit when it arrives in a few weeks.
But the company would also like to see the two-door Monte Carlo get a little more action at the same time, and that seems entirely likely.
In the first place, the Monte Carlo will come with four engine choices, starting with a flexible-fuel 3.5-liter V-6 and moving on up to the 5.3-litre V-8 with the Displacement on Demand technology that greatly increases fuel economy, which ought to cover more powertrain demand than anything in the segment.
Chevrolet has also done a lot of work improving the ride and handling of Monte Carlo, trying to make it more comfortable as well as more accomplished. That means it should be a more pleasant daily driver, with an increased ability to go quick and hard if the driver finds the opportunity for that.
The base 3.5-litre V-6 and the optional 3.9-litre V-6 are from a new family of "sophisticated engines featuring the first use of cam phasing in an overhead-valve engine design." This will help to deliver competitive power numbers and surprising fuel economy, or so GM says.
The 3.5L V-6 puts out 210 hp and 220 lb-ft of torque, which are higher than the numbers for some of the Monte Carlo's top (or only) offering, while the optional 3.9L V-6 is rated at 240 hp and 245 lb-ft of torque.
Topping the Monte Carlo engine list is the 5.3-litre small-block V-8, good for 303 hp and 323 lb-ft of torque. But this engine also has Displacement on Demand technology, which allows the engine to operate on four cylinders until the driver or the situation demands full power. Chevrolet says this can help reduce fuel consumption by up to 12 percent in certain light-load driving situations.
It would be great to report that Chevrolet was going to attach a slick new five- or six-speed automatic shifter to these engines, but that won't happen for a couple of years. For the time being, all Monte Carlos will get the Hydra-Matic 4T65-E four-speed automatic, which you could say is a slick old transmission.
Old-time purists and auto writers may harrumph over the lack of a manual shifter on Monte Carlo, but anyone in the auto industry will tell you that neither old-time purists nor anyone else (most auto writers try not to buy cars, preferring to use press loaners) orders manuals in great enough volumes to make them pay.
But people liked the fact that Impala and Monte Carlo offered large car interior space (as measured by the U.S. government) but sold for mid-size car prices. It's not often talked about, but cars from Japanese firms too often reflect the compact size of their creators than the more expansive dimensions of North American consumers.
With so many people finding extra comfort as well as initial quality (top of the list, ahead of the Japanese brands) in these cars, GM added a third shift to the Oshawa assembly plant to keep up with demand.
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| 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS (photo: General Motors) |
But the company would also like to see the two-door Monte Carlo get a little more action at the same time, and that seems entirely likely.
In the first place, the Monte Carlo will come with four engine choices, starting with a flexible-fuel 3.5-liter V-6 and moving on up to the 5.3-litre V-8 with the Displacement on Demand technology that greatly increases fuel economy, which ought to cover more powertrain demand than anything in the segment.
Chevrolet has also done a lot of work improving the ride and handling of Monte Carlo, trying to make it more comfortable as well as more accomplished. That means it should be a more pleasant daily driver, with an increased ability to go quick and hard if the driver finds the opportunity for that.
The base 3.5-litre V-6 and the optional 3.9-litre V-6 are from a new family of "sophisticated engines featuring the first use of cam phasing in an overhead-valve engine design." This will help to deliver competitive power numbers and surprising fuel economy, or so GM says.
The 3.5L V-6 puts out 210 hp and 220 lb-ft of torque, which are higher than the numbers for some of the Monte Carlo's top (or only) offering, while the optional 3.9L V-6 is rated at 240 hp and 245 lb-ft of torque.
Topping the Monte Carlo engine list is the 5.3-litre small-block V-8, good for 303 hp and 323 lb-ft of torque. But this engine also has Displacement on Demand technology, which allows the engine to operate on four cylinders until the driver or the situation demands full power. Chevrolet says this can help reduce fuel consumption by up to 12 percent in certain light-load driving situations.
 |
| 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS (photo: General Motors) |
Old-time purists and auto writers may harrumph over the lack of a manual shifter on Monte Carlo, but anyone in the auto industry will tell you that neither old-time purists nor anyone else (most auto writers try not to buy cars, preferring to use press loaners) orders manuals in great enough volumes to make them pay.