Below is from Car & Driver
Short Take Road Test...(A Blast from the past)
WoW, 8 years ago ....EnJoy

Short Take 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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<!--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 <!-- specs-->
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Road Test: 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS

A new Chevy coupe for the good ol' boys


2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo


MSRP: N/A
MPG Range: 29 - 32 mpg

Body Style: Coupe

From the November, 1999 issue of Motor Trend
By Matt Stone
| Photos John Kiewicz

"Heritage" design is one of today's In Things: car companies rummage through their past for hits and then patterning new models after them. The hope is that the glow of halcyon days-gone-by will translate to enhanced brand image and increased sales. Not a bad thing; it worked for VW's New Beetle. Chevrolet's Monte Carlo was due for an update and got a dose of its own heritage in the process.

Now sharing platforms with Pontiac's Grand Prix and the also-new Impala sedan, among others, the Monte comes in two flavors: standard LS and sportier SS. The latter packs GM's venerable 3.8-liter V-6, putting 200 horsepower to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transaxle. Chevy's added a few twists to the chassis to make sure it doesn't twist: engine bay strut tower bar, floorpan reinforcements, and a magnesium cross-car instrument panel support. It all works, as on the road, the chassis feels rigid and flex free.


Styling? Always in the eye of the beholder, but our staff was split. We liked the overall shapes, especially in profile, but the detailing is fussy. The rear spoiler looks like too long an afterthought; the frontal aspect is confused; and we're not sure the fender "eyebrows" were worth copying from that mid-'70s Monte (popularized in an era notable for disco and the leisure suit). Chevrolet hopes you'll like it, but also hopes it appeals to the windaas in the wind that will blow across its flanks while running NASCAR tracks such as Daytona and Talladega. You see, Monte Carlo is NASCAR's winningest nameplate. That sloping rear window and high bustle were designed right from the get-goaand with the involvement of GM Motorsportsawith an eye toward keeping that winning streak intact.

There's certainly no argument with the Monte Carlo's feature content, as our tester just packed it in: leather seating, dual-zone HVAC controls, CD and cassette, standard traction control and 16-inch alloy wheels, four-wheel discs with ABS, and power everything. Though the Series II V-6 may be as old as dust, it certainly works. The 0-60-mph time of 7.3 will handily outdrag the mid-'80s SS V-8arear drive and all. Its low- and midrange torque is your friend. While you won't confuse the SS' handling with that of a BMW M3, it's entertaining enough, given its front-drive, sedan-derived underpinnings and purpose as All-American sporty coupe rather than road racer. There's adequate feel in the steering, the ride is luxo-car smooth without being mushy, and the brakes are a real step forward from many previous GM efforts in terms of feedback and modulation.

We'd hoped the new SS would get the supercharged 240-horsepower version of this powertrain, as offered on the Grand Prix. Not to be. But the Monte Carlo brand and engineering team is quick to say, "Stay tuned for something truer to Chevy's heritage." A V-8, perhaps? We'll see. A supercharged variant is more likely. And what will they call that one, the Full Monte?

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=420><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#000033 colSpan=2><CENTER>Specifications</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ececec>Vehicle configuration</TD><TD bgColor=#ececec>Front engine, front drive two-door, five-pass.</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>Engine type</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff>90Int V-6, OHV, 2 valves/cyl.</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ececec>Displacement ci/cc</TD><TD bgColor=#ececec>231.3/3791</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>Horsepower, hp @ rpm, SAE net</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff>200 @ 5200</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ececec>Torque, lb-ft @ rpm, SAE net</TD><TD bgColor=#ececec>225 @ 4000</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>Transmission type</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff>4-speed automatic</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ececec>Wheelbase, in./mm</TD><TD bgColor=#ececec>110.5/2808</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>Base curb weight, lb</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff>3340</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ececec>Acceleration, 0-60 mph, sec</TD><TD bgColor=#ececec>7.3</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>Standing quarter mile, mph/sec</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff>15.5/89.3</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ececec>Braking, 60-0 mph, ft</TD><TD bgColor=#ececec>127</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>Lateral acceleration, g</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff>0.79</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ececec>Speed through 600-ft slalom, mph</TD><TD bgColor=#ececec>62.4</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>EPA fuel economy, mpg, city/hwy.</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff>20/29</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ececec>Base price</TD><TD bgColor=#ececec>$22,295</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>Price as tested</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff>$25,500 (est)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

Those numbers seem kinda poopy compared to the cars of today. Good thing the car is easily modified!

 

Monte Vid below

<LI class=g> <TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%" class=ts><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Review by MotorWeek | Ultimate Street ...

Click above link to view (about 5 minutes)
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► 5:28► 5:28

<TD style="PADDING-TOP: 1px" vAlign=top><CITE class=kv>video.ultimatestreet.com/.../2000-chevrolet-monte-carl...</CITE>Mar 30, 2011 - 5 min
Description:The 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo is reviewed by a guy from Motorweek. Tags:monte ... 2007 ...

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

LoL "poopy" LOL,Brent a Monte can still `poop on a lot of rides 4-Sure= =

Yes`Brent, the Monte's are showing their age , but they still are a great foundation for creative owner's to increase the power, handling, braking etc. Monte Carlo are heavy, but they are a five passenger ride.....