Road Test


<HGROUP>Chevrolet Monte Carlo Supercharged SS

Not exactly the one Little E. drives.


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• July 2004
• BY RON KIINO
• PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANIEL V. WINTER

Jeff Gordon drives one. So do Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson. Heck, even Dale Earnhardt Jr. slaps his No. 8 on one. We're talking about the Chevy Monte Carlo--specifically, the NASCAR race car, Little E.'s winning ride at this year's Daytona 500, not to mention the most victorious nameplate in NASCAR history. With accolades like that, there's no arguing the M.C.'s racing success.
The street version of this famous namesake, however, hasn't received the same fanfare lately. The old practice of "race on Sunday, sell on Monday" was worth exactly 66,976 new-car sales of the Monte Carlo to Chevy in 2003. That's a far cry from the success Ford has run up with its NASCAR nameplate--the Taurus found 300,496 takers--and almost 10,000 shy of Dodge's stock-car-inspired sedan, the Intrepid, at 76,473. And let's not forget the Monte's corporate sibling and NASCAR foe, the Pontiac Grand Prix, which sold 125,441 units.
Perhaps the Monte Carlo's biggest problem in '03 was that in standard SS form it topped out at 200 horsepower. Channeled through a four-speed automatic transmission, that oomph was anything but NASCAR-like. For 2004, Chevy is offering a spiced-up M.C. that it hopes can build some excitement (sorry, Pontiac) and boost those fourth-place sales.
That Carlo caliente is the Supercharged SS you see on this page. How do we know it's supercharged? Well, it says so--in huge script on the rear quarter-panels, and also on the dash and on the kick plates. So conspicuous are the labels that staffers began querying sarcastically, "Are you sure that's supercharged?" Chevy made other less-obvious modifications, adding a decklid spoiler, fog lamps, dual stainless-steel exhaust tips, and 17-inch diamond-cut wheels shod with Goodyear Eagles. The Supercharged SS looks sportier than its tamer siblings, but it's still not especially handsome to our eyes.

Underneath, the changes are more significant. The ride height has been lowered almost half an inch, the spring rates are said to be stiffer at all four corners, and the anti-roll bars are larger front and rear. Obviously, the biggest upgrade is what lurks under the hood--a supercharged version of GM's 3800 Series II pushrod V-6, which makes 240 horsepower at 5200 rpm and 280 pound-feet of torque at 3600 and is paired with a beefier four-speed auto. Compared with the standard SS, that's an upgrade of 40 horsepower and 55 pound-feet.
At the track, the Monte's newfound power and chassis enhancements were evident. We ripped off 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and the quarter-mile in 15.1 at 93 mph, 2.1 and 1.5 seconds quicker, respectively, than the numbers put up by a standard SS ("Low-Impact Sports," September 2002). Moreover, the Supercharged SS's wider, lower-profile tires (235/55R-17s versus 225/60R-16s) and tauter suspension held on for 0.83 g at the skidpad, a sizable improvement over the SS's 0.79. Ride quality has diminished slightly compared with the SS's conservatively tuned suppleness, but it's a welcome trade-off. And Chevy's engineers have done a commendable job of quelling the torque-steer issue. Braking was vastly better, too--70 mph to a standstill came in 186 feet, 20 feet shorter--and pedal feel was linear and easy to modulate.
There are more pros to pile on this blown Monte Carlo. The structure is about as shaky as Gibraltar, the fit and finish is respectable, and the interior is roomy and comfortable, especially in the back seat.

Of course, with pros come cons. The supercharged Monte still delivers a numb steering sensation that Led Zeppelin would describe as a communication breakdown. It feels overassisted and lacks precise, direct feedback to the driver. The ebony interior is just that--dark, cold, monotonous--and the quality of the plastics seems low-rent. Then there are the matters of poundage and price. The Supercharged SS weighs 3530 pounds and has a $27,895 base price. Compared with a $26,990 Honda Accord Coupe EX V-6 (September 2003) with a six-speed manual and a $23,460 Toyota Camry Solara SE Sport V-6 (October 2003), the Chevy puts the biggest dent in the pavement and your pocketbook. Not helping the Monte's case are the Accord's acceleration times, which are all quicker, or the Solara's Lexus-like cockpit, which, in light (we wish) of the Monte Carlo's second-rate interior, is like comparing Hugo Boss with Boss Hogg.
That said, this latest street iteration of Chevy's famed racing coupe does offer up performance that far surpasses that of the standard SS, a car that tested at $24,575. For an additional $3320, that's a serious bump in the bang-for-the-buck department. Plus, with all that torque on tap, the Supercharged SS easily chirps its front tires--which may be all that's needed to boost sales and the passion among Chevy's NASCAR faithful. Continued...

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• Chevrolet Monte Carlo - Auto Shows

<!--/research-->Specifications


VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 2-door coupe

PRICE AS TESTED: $31,155 (base price: $27,895)

ENGINE TYPE: supercharged pushrod 16-valve V-6, iron block and heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 231 cu in, 3791cc
Power (SAE net): 240 bhp @ 5200 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 280 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 4-speed automatic

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 110.5 in Length: 197.9 in
Width: 72.7 in Height: 55.2 in
Curb weight: 3530 lb

C/D-TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 6.5 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 18.2 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 6.7 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.1 sec @ 93 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 112 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 186 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.83 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA fuel economy, city driving : 18 mpg
C/D-observed: 18 mpg



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Love the SC Montes but did u know its slower than a ford suv with 22s oh i still want one though

 

We also know how cheaply and easily they take to mods.

 

 

This SUV



& im not goin on times we done real world testing the mc gets the jump but the edge pulls on it at 40 ish, i got a video ima try to get up

 

Hi `Mike, thanks for turning this thread in a fun thread
I hope that you can get it `up ?
We'd love to see a Real World testing race between a SuperCharged Monte & your Ford Edge 4-Sure

I think in Real World Racing it also becomes a driver's Race & how good the driver is about gett'in off the line & if the driver knows how to set up his ride for racing; ie: correct tire pressure, removing the junk from the trunk & ride, making sure fuel is under 1/4 tanks or less, etc.

We will sit here & wait for your `vid & we all hope that you can get it `up

Member's Please Stand by for the Race
p.s. I'll be right back, I have go to the restroom & concession stand (does anyone want anything)

Hurry, `Mike, we are all sitting on the line waiting for this Super Race.....



I think Car & Driver's test runs are conservative on their runs & I've read to many posts by member's that
have much better times then the one tested by C&D...

 

Hi `Mike, I got tired waiting on the starting line for the race or your vid I guess you could not get it `up I must rest, but it will be the 1st thing I check when I get `off my recharge or I hear the Monster Blown Monte Carlo Engine Fire `up

Look'in 4ward to seeing your `vid & if you have the `Edge to beat a Blown S.S. If you lost `it I really think you'll have to make another one, or delete you post or claims (LOL)

 

Love reading this kind of stuff. I wish I had the money to do so major modding though after reading those numbers lol

 

"Where there's a `Will, there's a way to make your dreams come true" Don't give `up on your dreams 4-Sure
=========================================
`Hi Mike (JG), I checked this morning on my 1st break @ work & I still don't see your vid of the SuperCharged Monte Rac'in your `Edge ..I'm very sad & dissappointed

You posted & ran or was that U were out watching "Hit & Run" @ movies...

 

2012 Ford Edge


#6in Affordable Midsize SUVs
Based on analysis of 70 reviews and test drives.
Avg. Paid:$27,936 - $37,719
MSRP: $27,770 - $38,960
Invoice: $26,323 - $36,229
MPG: 19 City / 27 Hwy

WoW they are expensie 4-Sure
Ford Edge Performance below


Reviewers are happy with the way the Ford Edge drives, although they say it won’t give enthusiasts goose bumps. They say it’s comfortable to drive and that all of its engines are plenty powerful. Plus, the auto press thinks its new Ecoboost engine is worth the extra $1,000.

• "The Edge feels like it hasn't given up any driving performance in the switch to four-cylinder power. With its readily-accessible torque and even higher 30 mpg, paying an extra $995 for the Edge EcoBoost is a comparative no-brainer.” -- Autoblog
• "If you don’t plan to hitch a trailer or go off-roading, the tiny EcoBoost has potential - especially in the Edge.” -- Cars.com
• "Again in the Edge, the turbo four can't match the quickness of the V-6. Where Ford measures the V-6's 0-60 time at sprightly 7.3 seconds, it clocks the turbo four at a more sedate 8.8 seconds. But the Edge Ecoboost does not feel sluggish, and the turbo four's throttle response and sound quality do an excellent job imitating the dynamic character of a V-6.” -- Automobile Magazine

The above from Auto Magazine states that the Ford Edge doesn't have a Edge over a Blown Monte Carlo . The Monte is faster 0-60

LoL `Mike, where's your proof that your `Edge is faster then a Blown Monte
`Space, the defender of the Chevy Monte Carlo (lol)
`Mike what `Edge do U have ? (lol) ?