New Cars, Car Reviews, Car Shows, Car Photos,The Car Connection,cars in the world, Acura,Alfa romeo,Aston Martin,Audi,BMW,Bugatti,Ferrari,Jaguar,Honda,Porsche,Opel,Lamborgini,Toyota,
Marcedes
Benz ,VW,Mustang,Volvo,Mazda and etc.
Tata recently launched the Indigo CS Dicor e-series. The car is nothing but an enhanced equipment and style rich version of the Indigo CS. The car is BS IV compliant which will make it available in the major BS IV cities like Delhi and Mumbai.
The same old Dicor engine has been enhanced to be BS IV compliant. However, there are no exact details about the emission levels of the new engine. Amongst the other changes are the new grille, body colored outside rear view mirrors (ORVM) which have integrated indicators (both taken from the Indigo XL), Bluetooth connectivity similar to the one in Fiat Linea, white alloy wheels and drilled pedals.
The Aria from the Tata stable which is a seven seater crossover will supposedly be launched in the near future. According to various sources, it will be just few more months until the car hits the streets. The car was spied a month ago during which it was revealed to be a cross between a MPV and a SUV.
The car will sport a 2.2L direct injection common rail diesel engine. This engine is the same one which powers the Safari and Sumo Grande. The Aria is reported to be one of Tata’s most sophisticated vehicles.
“The Aria should be launched most likely in May or June. We are going according to our plans. As for exporting it, we will make all our cars available outside the country depending on their need or relevance,” said a Tata Official.
In India, the car will come with a price tag between Rs. 12 lakh to Rs. 14.5 lakh. According to various sources, the car will make its way to the US, UK and European markets within the next decade.
The Aria will sport various features similar to those of the Toyota Fortuner, Chevrolet Captiva and Ford Endeavour. It is believed that the car will provide all luxuries available in the mentioned cars at a much lower cost. The car will also feature a 4WD and 2WD option as a variant.
It was very much evident that Mahindra and Renault weren’t that much happy with their joint venture. The product of their joint venture christened Mahindra Renault Logan did not manage to return high sales figures after which both the firms entered into blame game. However, there were speculations that the firms had left their differences aside and had planned to launch a small car version of the Logan. But, as a final step, the firms have decided to go their own ways. Mahindra & Mahindra has bought 49% stakes owned by Renault in the partnership and it will be owned as a subsidiary of M&M. The firm will however, not discontinue the production of Logan in India and a few overseas markets.
The earlier speculations about the car becoming a small car have however now proved to be true. The car will be a shortened version of the Logan in order to avail excise duty benefits which are available for cars which are up to or less than 4m in length. There is no confirmed news regarding the continual of the original Logan model though. According to various sources, M&M will also launch a MUV based on the shortened version of the Logan.
A part of the sum paid in order to buy a Logan will be delivered to Renault in form of loyalty till the end of this year. The car will sell with the Renault badge too. However, this will not continue from next year after which the car will be available with the M&M badge. There are speculations which indicate that once the car will be sold under the M&M badge, the car may also be renamed.
The Nano project may not have been a bed of roses for Tata, especially with chapters like being driven out of Singur in Bengal and some Nanos catching fire. However, the auto major remains undeterred by problems and is keen on making another small car which would slot in between the Nano and the Indica. The new car will be comparable to the Suzuki Wagon Rs and the Santros of the world and will most likely be priced at around Rs 3-lakh on the road. If reports from NDTV are to be believed the car has been codenamed as Dolphin, at least for the development phase.
It’s prudent for Tata to develop such a car for India as we know for a fact that ever since the Nano project took off, small car makers like Maruti and Hyundai have gone back to the drawing board to design and develop cars that are cheaper than even the Santro and the Wagon R with comparable engine specs, features and specs. Project Dolphin aims at having a Tata anwer ready for the challengers to be brought in the field by Suzuki and Hyundai in due course.
The car which will be made on a completely new platform would be a tough competitor to the Maruti Suzuki Alto, Wagon R and the Hyundai Santro. There are speculations that the car will be powered by an engine within the 800-1000cc range. The car may also be available in the petrol and diesel variants. Tata’s tradition of making spacious cars will be practiced in the new car as well and expect it to be a winner in terms of in both cabin and boot space.
It’s a good move by Tata as the company didn’t have a presence in the bare basic small car segment of the India which form the major chunk of the Indian car market. Tata Motors have the capability to keep costs low, and a cheap option in the A and A+ segment will definitely lure a lot of buyers. The demand will be primarily driven by the rural areas for Tata in such a case.
According to various sources, the car will hit the streets within the next 18-24 months. Since the phasing off of the legendary Maruti 800, it is now evident that Tata is very keen into getting a firm foothold in the small car segment. Stay tuned as we try our best to get more information about this upcoming small car.
This is just a representative image - the actual car may look different
We had earlier reported that the upgraded Wagon R will hit the streets on by the end of April. We also assured that the upgrade would not be just a minor face lift but would be much more than that since the firm has spent a lot of money on the upgrade. The firm has finally revealed that the car will hit the streets on 23rd of April. The upgraded Wagon R will be based on the current Japanese Wagon R. the new Wagon R will be taller, longer and wider and will feature new suspension components both in the front and rear suspensions. The bigger size ensures that the Wagon R is more spacious than before and provides better comfort.
The car will kick away the present 1.1-L engine and make way for a smaller 1.0-L three cylinder K series engine. The engine is the same 67 bhp engine from the A Star/Estilo. The gear ratios have been altered though so that the 3 cylinder engine can carry the hefty weight of the Wagon R. The car also sports a new dashboard, an integrated audio system and the rear wash-wiper in the apex Vxi model.
The car will be sold in the similar Lx, Lxi and Vxi variants as before. However, the Duo variant will be missing. There is no confirmation whether the Duo variant will be launched later on. Wagon R is Maruti Suzuki’s second bestselling car which has managed to hit a total sales figure of more than 800,000 units since its 1999 launch.
Source: BSMotoring, Motoroids
Exterior Styling:
Bold and Aggressive Design
V-character line
Bigger and sweeping lamp with blue tint
Wider bumpers that stretch to the corners
Sloping character (roof)
Flared fenders
Bigger and wider wheels
Upright character in rear
Ease in ingress and Egress (Larger doors)
Chrome accentuation in Front and Rear (WagonR brand engraved in chrome in rear)
Improved rear visibility.
Interior styling
Dual tone interiors
New IP, Silver accentuation all around
3-D seat fabric
New Steering wheel
Tilt steering
Integrated audio with AUX-in and 6-band graphic equalizer.
New ergonomic gear knob
New Speedometer design
Full-trim interiors including A, B and C pillar trims.
Spacious Package
Best in class wheel base (2400mm, +40 mm more than wagonR)
Huge leg-space. Best in segment tandem distance (100 mm more than previous WagonR)
Best in class front seat travel (240mm, 33% more than WagonR) - helps tall users
Best in segment front and rear headroom
Utilitarian add-ons
Push type cup holders, utility hook
Sturdy and deeper glove box with integrated shelf.
Utility basket under co-driver seat (environment care)
Front door map pocket
Soft insert on the floor console(to safeguard the cell-phone camera unit)
BMW has confirmed that it will roll out its 5 series (F10) in India by the 30th of April which is a few months earlier than the actual date of its launch. The German manufacturer’s saloon however is slated for a few month later launch in Europe.
Originally, the German car maker had scheduled the launch of the car between the July-September period. Thus, the earlier-than-scheduled launch has proved to be a surprise to the Indian market. We can say that Newton’s third law has been applied here (every action has an equal and opposite reaction). BMW had to react aptly to its rival, Mercedes’ action of introducing the new E-class and discounted sale of its 5-series, by introducing the new model as soon as possible. The firm has provided its Chennai plant with all necessary equipments and facilities for the 5-Series. The firm has also achieved record time shipping of its knocked down units to assemble the models well before time.
Mercedes managed to sell 642 E-class models in the first quarter of 2010 where in the other hand, BMW could only manage to sell 305 5-series. BMW expects to recover its market share in the luxury car segment with the introduction of the all new 5-series.
There is no confirmation as in which models of the 5-series will be available in India. However, there is a possibility for the 535i and 530d to hit the streets for sure.
India’s car giant Maruti Suzuki revealed its plans to roll out the all new Wagon-R by the end of April 2010. According to various sources, the firm has spent Rs. 290 crore in upgrading the firm’s best selling hatchback. In addition to this, the company also confirmed the phasing off of the ‘Duo’ variant which runs on both LPG and petrol. When inquired, Mayank Pareek, Maruti Suzuki India Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales) said, “As of now, we have stopped the Duo and the new WagonR will only be in gasoline.”
The refreshed Wagon R will not be just a face lifted one. This fact was supported when Mr. Pareek revealed that a minor facelift usually costs about Rs. 50 crore and when the firm is said to have spent a little less than six times this figure, there is no harm in expecting something more this time. The expected Wagon R will definitely be BS-IV compliant and will feature the Maruti Suzuki K10B engine which will be manufactured at the firm’s Gurgaon plant. The new engine will also be mated with a new improved transmission system.
According to Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) standards, the car will have the capacity to return a mileage of about 18.9 kmpl.
‘Kizashi’ in Japanese means ‘a sign of great things to come’. This meaning has come true in its sense as the great thing i.e. Kizashi is on its way to the Indian streets. Maruti Suzuki confirmed that they have plans to import the Suzuki Kizashi to India as a CBU by the end of 2010. The car was displayed in the Auto Expo at Delhi. The car is Suzuki Motors Corporation’s flagship model in the D-segment as well as its sixth world strategic model. The car hit the Japanese and American streets during October and December 2009 respectively.
According to a few sources, “Kizashi is very much on the company’s drawing board. But right now, Maruti will follow CBU route from its Sagara plant in Japan during this calendar year. Eventually, the company may consider importing CKD kits from the same plant later subject to market demand.” To support the news, a Delhi based dealer also confirmed Maruti’s plans to launch the car in India around October, this year. According to the dealer, “The price bracket of Kizashi will be Rs. 12-14 lakh and it will be the most feature-rich car amongst Maruti’s portfolio. When asked about the engine specifications, he said, “It’s highly likely that it will sport a 2.4 litre all-aluminum engine.”
American Suzuki Motor Corp (Automotive Marketing and Public Relations) Vice-President Gene Brown reported to PTI during the Chicago Auto Show, "The Kizashi is going to be sold in India. I do not think the launch in India is that far in the future." He did not shed more light on the topic of Kizashi in India as he wasn’t in charge of the Indian Market.
Following the footsteps of Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra too have decided to hike their prices by up to Rs. 26,100. The firm has confirmed that the rise is due to the Bharat Stage IV emission norms and a partial rise due to price rise in commodities. However, according to a M&M spokesperson, the fuel price rise has also been taken into consideration while determining the new M&M prices.
The Mahindra & Mahindra flagship model, Scorpio will be now costlier by Rs. 10,300 and Rs. 17,500 (depending on model) than its earlier price. The Xylo will now cost about Rs. 15,900 more while the Bolero will be costlier by as much as Rs. 26,100.
The BS IV norms have become operational in 13 cities in India since the 1st of April. As a result, most of the car giants in India including Hyundai, Maruti Suzuki, and Toyota have hiked their car prices. It is because of the technological advancements required to make the cars BS IV compliant that the cars will have to be costlier now.
The Mercedes-Benz family of cars has grown bigger by the launch of the E-Class Coupe in India. Powered by a 3.5 liter V6 engine which churns out 272hp of power at 6000rpm, the car is one of the most aerodynamic cars in the world which boasts of a drag co-efficient of as less as 0.24. The car will come with a price tag of Rs. 56.38 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai).
The car features a few state of the art features like the ATTENTION ASSIST (drowsiness detection system), selective damper control, preventive occupant protection Adaptive Main Beam Assist, PRE-SAFE® technology and Intelligent Lighting System which makes the car feel more or less alive. The car has the ability to react in cases of danger and probable accidents in an independent manner. With various mind boggling features, the car is positioned as one of the top most in the Mercedes Benz Luxury class.
The Hyundai i20 has always brought phenomenal success to the company. Hyundai Motor India Ltd. today announced the launch of its latest model, “the all new i20,” a premium compact car designed just for Indian customers. The all new i20 will be available with all existing models with 2 new variants namely the Era and the Sportz. The car will feature various technological advancements along with better styling and much improved fuel efficiency. The Era will be available in both petrol as well as diesel options and will be positioned at the apex as far as price is concerned. On the other hand, the Sportz will be priced somewhere in between the Magna and Asta.
The all new i20 will be the first car in its segment to feature a six-speed manual transmission system in its diesel variant. The sixth gear will prove to be a boon to highway driving and will also be a reason for better fuel consumption. The sixth gear will also enable low RPM driving thus reducing NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness) as a result of which there will be lesser wear and tear of the engine. The car will also feature a manual transmission shift indicator (diesel variant) and also an innovative gear shift prompt so that the driver may shift gears in a more efficient manner when guided.
“We are pleased to announce the launch of the i20 with new features and two new additional variants. While the variants are targeted at our customers who have different needs, the new features will help improve the i20 and make it even more desirable for our customers. We are confident that with the new features and additional variants the i20 will become even more attractive and set new benchmark for this class of cars with improved styling, unique features and conformity with global safety standards,” said H W Park, Managing Director & CEO, HMIL, during the launch.
The car’s design follows the brands traditional identity and from the grilles to the interiors, the car features modern and up-to-date styling. The car boasts of an all new chrome radiator grille. The outside rear view mirrors have integrated indicators too. On the inside though, it features blue LED illumination. The car also features a silver centre fascia and chrome finish on inside door locks. The car also includes various other features like Fully Automatic Temperature Control (FATC) system and in-built USB port (in Magna), a burglar alarm, steering wheel with audio remote and passenger vanity mirror (in Sportz and Asta).
The all new i20 is BS IV compliant and thus more efficient and low at emissions. The car boasts of extra ordinary fuel efficiency figures. According to Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the all new i20 petrol which features the 1.2L Kappa engine as the capacity to deliver a mileage of about 18.15 km/litre and the diesel variant on the other hand which runs on a 1.4L CRDi engine can deliver a fuel efficiency figure of almost 21.93 km/litre.
Following are the variant wize prices for the all new i20:
The small car segment in India seems to have caught fire with the recent launches and developments in the segment. Since the competition is fit for new launches, Honda has rescheduled the launch of its much publicized small car. The car was supposed to be launched early in 2011. However, now the car will reportedly hit the streets by the end of 2010 itself. According to various sources, the car code named 2CV will be launched by year end and could coincide with the launch of Toyota’s Etios. The Honda small car was first displayed in India during the 10th Auto Expo at Delhi.
“We have no such plans, and we believe that 2011 will not be too late to launch the vehicle. Car penetration is still low in the country and there is a lot of space to grow,” said Jnaneswar Sen, vice-president for marketing, Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI)
The small car sales in India seems to be going at a very good rate with around 10,000 and 5,000 bookings for the Ford Figo and the Volkswagen Polo. Since the launch of the Chevvy Beat earlier in January, more than 13,000 cars have been sold. Nissan has also reported that it will launch its small car christened Micra soon in June with a price tag of about Rs. 4 lakh. The Honda small car will reportedly be priced under Rs. 4.5-5 lakh. Honda expects sales figure not much different to its presently selling Honda City. The small car will have 80 percent localized content and will initially be rolled out from the Greater Noida facility. The car however will be produced in Thailand as well.
2010 had already been a great start for Audi India and much has not changed since then. The firm recorded best ever sales of 778 cars for the first quarter of the year 2010 (January to March). As compared to last year’s first quarter, there has been a massive growth of 103 percent. The firm had sold 384 cars in the first quarter of 2009. With the countrywide sale of 220 cars, in the month of March 2010, the firm observed a growth of 36 percent as compared to the sales in March 2009 which was 162 cars.
The Indian line up for Audi car models include the Audi A4, the Audi A6, the Audi A8, the Audi Q5, the Audi Q7, the Audi TT and the super sports car Audi R8. These models are available across eight showrooms in the country including Gurgaon, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Kochi. Showrooms are also set to be open in Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai (West), Jaipur, Chennai, Ludhiana. Further developments may include Lucknow, Coimbatore and Nagpur.
Benoit Tiers, Managing Director, Audi India stated, “The first quarter of 2010 has seen record sales for Audi in India as we have continued to make steady growth toward achieving our progressive goals. True to our philosophy of ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’, in the coming months we will focus on enhancing the entire experience of owning a luxury automobile for our customers in the Indian market. This year, our customers can expect new avant-garde and sporty luxury models.”
The new Bharat Stage IV (BS IV) norms have come into effect from the 1st of April, 2010. Since much before this, several firms upgraded or replaced their existing models with ones that would be BS IV compliant. Some firms also decided to leave their vehicles BS III compliant, making them unavailable in BS IV cities. In order that the Skoda Superb remains BS IV compliant, the Czech firm launched a new variant of the car in place of its existing variant.
The car will now be powered by a 1.8L TSI Petrol engine mated with a manual transmission system. The car will come with a price tag of Rs. 18.28 lakh (Ex-showroom Delhi) which makes it cheaper by Rs. 1.5 lakh. The new engine is reportedly believed to return a fuel efficiency figure of about 13.14 kmpl.
Skoda Auto India Senior General Manager (Sales and Marketing) Ashutosh Dixit said, "Ever since the launch, the New Superb has won the hearts of over 3000 customers and acquired the No. 1 position in the D Segment, bagging 6 prestigious automotive awards in 2010. The addition of the 1.8 TSI manual transmission to the current range will offer a wider choice to our customers and also allow us to introduce our newest technologies into the Indian market."
Since the car boasts of a MT (manual transmission) system, it will be able to deliver complete engine performance along with an enhanced driving experience. For its range, this addition to the Skoda Superb is first of its kind. the car will be available in a varied choice of colours including Candy White, Black Magic, Diamond Silver, Rosso Brunello and Cappuccino Beige.
The year 2010 seems to be cutting a wide hole across the pockets of the consumers of the Automotive Industry. The cost of production has always been increasing owing to the price of raw materials and resources. But to add to the misery, the BS IV emission norms have become the new excuse for price hike. Maruti Suzuki has revised the prices of its products. the prices have gone further up now. the new prices will be applicable with immediate effect.
The price rise on various models varies from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 9,000 approximately. The A-Star and Ritz will now be costlier by Rs. 1,000. The prices of Estilo and Omni has been rised by Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 3,000 respectively. The Swift and Dzire will be costlier by Rs. 3,750 and Rs. 7,000 respectively. The SX4 will observe a price rise by a whopping Rs. 9,000. The firm has also revised the prices of its BS III products including Maruti 800, Omni (LPG) and Gypsy. The Gypsy will be costlier by Rs.10,000 while the Maruti 800 and the Omni (LPG) will observe a price hike by Rs.3,000 each.
The car manufacturer has also confirmed the withdrawal of the introductory prices of the Eeco. Thus, the Eeco will be costlier by Rs. 10,000 approximately.
After the judgement of about 59 automotive journalists from all over the world, Volkswagen AG confirmed that the Polo has been declared as 2010 World Car of the Year. Professor Dr Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG stated, ‘We're honoured that the Volkswagen Polo was chosen by this distinguished group of jurors. After the triumph of the Golf last year, we are delighted to repeat this success with the new Polo. This shows that Volkswagen is on the right track and is offering arguably the best range of products in its history.’ Leaving the WCOTY Award aside, the Golf, Passat, and Polo which are included in the Volkswagen BlueMotion product brand were declared 2010 World Green Car of the Year by the World Car of The Year organization. Amongst the finalists in this award were the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius.
The car is know for its compact looks from the exterior and the spacious interiors. In India, the car is available in three variants - Petrol, Diesel and Race Variant. The Polo Petrol is powered by a 1.2 liter MPFI engine that churns out 75 horses at 5400 rpm and torque of 110 Nm at 3750 rpm. The Diesel variant comes with a 1.2 Liter CRDI Diesel Engine while the Race variant features a 1.6 Liter R4 CRDI Diesel Engine.
According to the 59 jury members, it may not always be necessary to replace the combustion engine with an electric motor and a heavy battery assembly to achieve better efficiency. The BlueMotion models boast of an engine based on the Volkswagen’s common rail diesel engines. These engines are reportedly the most efficient engines available in the market. It is believed that the Passat BlueMotion can cover a whopping distance of 1600 km on a single full tank of fuel. Thus, these engines can be a boon not only to the pockets but also to the environment and depleting fuel resources. According to Dr Winterkorn, ‘BlueMotion is one of the most successful efficiency brands worldwide. It stands for tremendous competence in efficient and economical drive trains at Volkswagen.’
BlueMotion:
The BlueMotion is a tradename for certain car models from the Volkswagen stable which emphasizes on high level of fuel efficiency. The tradename was introduced earlier in 2006 on the Mk4 Polo BlueMotion.
Europe’s largest car manufacturer, Volkswagen recently introduced the Passat TSI and the Jetta common rail diesel engine in the Indian market. The Passat will now feature the TSI petrol engine which is believed to have the ability to deliver maximum power at the cost of minimum fuel consumption.
The ex-showroom prices (Delhi) of the Passat 1.8 L TSI and the Jetta 2.0 L diesel Comfortline will be Rs. 19.20 lakhs and Rs. 15.92 lakhs respectively. According to a press release, the TSI engines are compact and high powered which enables good fuel efficiency figures, a great driving experience and lower Co2 emissions.
Mr. Neeraj Garg, Member of Board and Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Volkswagen Group Sales India stated, “The Passat TSI and Jetta common rail diesel engines are so well refined that not only will they provide superior driving experience but also decrease fuel consumption and lower emissions.”
The European car maker which has extended its reach across 150 countries has confirmed its plans to expand the production capacity of its Chakan manufacturing facility near Pune to 1,10,000 units in the next 3 years.
Maruti Suzuki India Limited has finally made a benchmark in Indian Automotive History by managing to sell a total of 10,18,365 vehicles in the year 2009-10. The firm is the first car company in India to sell more than a million units in a financial year. Out of the total sales in the fiscal, 8,70,790 units were sold in the domestic market which again is the highest ever sold by the car company in a fiscal year. To add to this, the company’s export sales of 1,47,575 units of the year proved to be the highest annual exports by the firm.
As compared to the sales in the last financial year which was 792,167 units, the sales of the firm have witnessed a growth of 29 per cent. The domestic sales in the A2 and the A3 segments grew by 23.8 per cent and 30.8 per cent respectively, when compared to the sales figures of the year 2008-09.
The firm’s fuel efficient and compact car christened A-Star topped the exports sales figures with the sale of 1.27 lakh units overseas. The A-Star was exported to various European markets including United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands etc. amongst the non-European markets, the car was exported to Algeria, Chile, Indonesia and neighboring countries. The car was also exported to a few new markets including South Africa, Hong Kong, Australia and Norway.
In the month of March, 2010 Maruti Suzuki managed to sell a total of 95,123 units which is a growth of 11 percent as compared the sales figures for the month, in the last year which was 85,669 units. Out of the total sales, 79,530 units were contributed by domestic sales. The firm observed the highest monthly exports figures of 15,593 units which makes the export figures of August 2009 (14,847 units) second highest.
Maruti Suzuki rolled out its millionth unit of the year 2009-10, just recently on the 23rd of March, 2010. This makes the firm one amongst the few select global auto makers who share similar sales figures. In order to reach the production capacity of 12,50,000 units a year, the firm is reportedly expanding its production facility at Manesar with an investment of Rs 1,700 Crore.
Though it started into the luxo-personal car market late in the game, the Monte Carlo went on to become one of the most popular and best selling marques in GM history. With the cars sales success, NASCAR racing history and overwhelmingly popular SS series, the Monte Carlo solidified its place in the personal car market.
General Motors was no newcomer to the personal luxury market, with both strong entries in the market via the Buick Rivera and Pontiac Grand Prix in the early 60’s. While the Rivera (and later Olds’s Tornado and Cadillac’s Eldorado) focused on a definitely more upmarket clientele, Pontiac’s very successful (and affordable) GP was garnering a larger market share, and taking a bite out of Chevy sales, raising eyebrows and concern from its bigger sister division.
By 1965, Chevy had a strong lineup,but was struggling to get its answer to the Ford Mustang pony car, the Camaro, out of development/testing and to market. Chevy was in an uncomfortable spot, with no direct competing car to the Mustang, or to Fords increasingly luxurious (and profitable) Thunderbird or Pontiac’s luxury/sporty Grand Prix. Elliot “Pete” Estes, then general manager of Chevrolet, proposed a personal car of the divisions own.
A personal luxury car for Chevy was no revelation, and not a new idea. Since the late 50’s Chevy dealers were clamoring for a Thunderbird rival of their own, they were bemoaning easy and profitable Thunderbird sales Ford dealers were racking up, watching customers walk out their door to neighboring Ford dealers with no car to fight them. By the time sister divisions Buick and Pontiac (when the Rivera and GP came to market in the early 60’s) introduced their own personal luxury cars, Chevy dealers were demanding that Chevy develop an answer to the Thunderbird too. With strong sales of the larger Impala Sport coupe and Malibu/Chevelle custom as an example, it was hard to ignore the appeal and the sales potential for such personal car.
Pete Estes & John Z. DeLorean
But Chevrolet division sales manager, Lee Mays, was not in agreement. Truth be told, Chevrolet had an abundance of up to 12 different car models at the time, and to his mind, it was a chore to develop distinctive & successful sales strategies for them all in the shrinking market-share environment of the mid 60’s. Blind to the market potential, Mays failed to see the niche for a personal luxury car for Chevy. Mays, a powerful presence in GM and Chevy, successfully nixed many attempts to bring a Chevy personal luxury coupe to production, even after John Z DeLorean’s successful redesign and sales successes of the Pontiac Grand Prix had shown the great profit and sales potential in such a car. Despite Estes attempts to get Chevy dealers the car they wanted, Mays would not let it come to pass.
Fast forward to 1968, John Z. DeLorean was coming in from Pontiac to become general manager at Chevy and shore up the divisions shrinking market share and Estes left Chevy to become head of GM car and truck group. Mays was seen by DeLorean as a hindrance to his and GM’s goals for the division, and after DeLorean protested to upper GM brass on the resistance he was getting from the sales manager, Mays was promoted to Buick general manager and out of DeLorean’s hair.
Two & Four door "Concurs" (Monte Carlo) circa 1968
With Mays out of the way David Holls, Chevy chief designer, was given the project for Chevys new mid sized personal luxury car. One of his newest designers, Terry Henline was responsible for the initial design of the new car. The Monte Carlo, then coded named the Concurs, was to be based upon the slightly lengthened A-body or “G”-body platform as was the Grand Prix.Design cues from the recently completed redesign of Bill Mitchell’s 1967 Cadillac Eldorado was used for the new car in a deliberate attempt to imply luxury, and took direct aim at the market the new car was focused.
1967 Cadillac Eldorado
The now familiar semi coke bottle fender cues of the Monte Carlo was lifted from the then new ’67 Eldorado and used on the Concurs (nee Monte Carlo) to much more subtle (and arguably better) effect. The dual prow of the Eldo nose and the crisp folds of the Cadillac are very well seen in the initial design studies of the Concurs as well. A long hood and short deck from the Cadillac, already popular on both sporty cars like the Mustang and other semi-luxury cars like the GP and Tornado also helped balance out the design. To accomplish this, the new G body, like the Pontiac Grand Prix, had an additional 4 inches of length added to the frame at the firewall for a longer hood and a lower looking, sleeker overall design. Even though it was not an overtly original design, Henline did a great job in bring Cadillac upscale style down to a Chevrolet sensibility.
Bill Mitchell, GM VP of styling and designer of the ’67 Eldorado even commented to Holls that the new Chevy personal car was a “good watered down rendition” of his work, though he was not happy that Chevy had taken so many of his styling cues to make it work on what was essentially a “gussied up Chevelle”.
1970 Chevelle & 1970 Monte Carlo
Mitchell was right; for the most part the Monte Carlo was going to be a Chevelle under the skin and was a “parts bin” car. Engines, drive train, dash and so on were pretty much carried over from the Malibu/Chevelle with slight upgrades in and trim components to justify its higher target pricing.
By 1969, final designs of the car were being completed, but Chevy was still nervous about bringing a mid to large size car without a four door option (as the Chevelle) and hedged its bets with a proposed four door version and a convertible as well.
A convertible Monte never made it to production
By this time sales for the Chevrolet division were steady, but both market share and profits were declining.With millions being spent on a new replacement small car for the Corvair (aka the infamous Vega) and a redesign of the F body (Camaro) coming as well as other Chevy lineup replacements for 1970, the budget for the new personal luxury car was stretched. So both four door and convertible options were dropped and the car was finalized to be a hardtop coupe only.
1970 Monte Carlo "SS"
The final design for the 1970 Monte Carlo was received well, a handsome and completely well rounded design. The car shared the rear C pillars and rear window upper panels with the GP, but the rest, though heavily influenced by the Eldorado, was its own. The overall look was well proportioned, much unlike Ford Thunderbird’s odd beak-nose and then heavy pseudo-Continental design. Though not revolutionary in any way, it definitely fit into an affordable, mid size luxury niche that had not been designed to or catered to before. Car & Driver called it a “composite of Buick, Oldsmobile, and Cadillac”, i.e., a design success and a coup for Chevy. There were complaints in design circles that the look with the slightly pontoon like fenders (a la post war, late 40’s GM cars) was definitely a step back and not forward, but considering its Chevelle origins and its deliberate corporate design as a profit leader, revolutionary forward design wasn’t intended or necessary.
As was the norm from Chevy, a dizzying list of options, luxury trim upgrades, transmissions, engines (350 & 400 V8’s w/2 & 4 barrel carbs, rated at 245, 275 & 300hp) were available. A rare model, the SS, included wider tires, a heavy-duty suspension, and a 454 V8 rated at 360hp-500 ft/lb was offered as well if you really wanted to go fast.
By checking off the right boxes on the order sheet, a Monte customer could customize his own semi-luxury car exactly to his tastes. That, along with an excellent and very affordable price point, made the first generation of the Monte a strong seller (the lowest priced in the personal luxury market at the time) and profits were high due to its sharing of basic components of the Chevelle.
1972 Monte Carlo
Arguably the car looked more expensive than it was, and Chevy did its best not to brand it a Chevy (very few, if any Chevrolet emblems were placed on the car) to help promote its upscale image. Sales were very strong and made it a profit leader for Chevy in 1972.
For 1973, in an effort to more distinguish the car from its Malibu/Chevelle underpinnings, all parts of the previous design (already based upon earlier generation Eldorado) were re-emphasized and a new redesign came about. Not a design of one individual (Henline) as previous, Assistant Chief Designer Dave Clark with a team of others designers concentrated on a distinctly more stylized design. The new look had more punctuated body fender curves, longer hood, more upright A and B pillars and instead of a operational rear quarter panel window, a purposely emphasized and fixed “opera” or landau roof window appeared.The opera window, a strong feature of the new design, was a styling cue of 70’s American cars to come (along with the required vinyl top).It was first introduced on the 1971 Cadillac and imitated GM’s high luxury car once again as the original Monte had. The theme was aimed to be or resemble a smaller mini-Cadillac and the landau windows to imitate a limousine, or suggest a limo-like look.
Headlight “prowls” once subtle before, now ran from the mid hood to the front of the car and grille. The fender curves, previously a suggestion, now protruded as a separate growth of sheet metal and nearly as a separate part of the car itself continuing through the fender contours and through to the doors of the coupe.
Despite some dubious design features, the cars design was wholeheartedly approved by DeLorean at its initial unveiling. Whereas the previous car was handsome and somewhat understated in its presence, the new design was much exaggerated and somewhat heavy handed. GM, strangely enough, called the styling “European” and stated its design focused on the luxury aspects over its predecessor while “strengthening its custom design features”. Car and Driver jokingly described the Monte’s look as Baroque, “Go for Baroque” was David E. Davis’s exact quote, as its styling mimicked the overtly, and somewhat tacky classical styling themes (i.e. buggy and coach) that were present in luxury cars at the time.
1974 Monte Carlo equipped with swivel front bucket seats.
Laughable press releases and Chevy press spots emphasized the new Monte’s Mercedes-like feel, features and “near Mercedes-like handling” (DeLorean was involved with tweaking the handling somewhat as he was enamored with the 300 Mercedes sedan at the time) and styling. New gee whiz options like (the now infamous) swivel bucket seats that turned 90 degrees on its base to meet the driver were offered and more “European” controls were featured.
Even with the new emphasis on European design, there were fewer options than before. The SS option was gone since ‘72 and most performance minded choices were non existent. The 454 engine (less than 5% of sales when it was available) was not a option usually picked. Chevy saw no reason to offer what the public weren’t buying, so it was eventually dropped. Variations of the 350 & the 400, still a strong motor considering encroaching emissions restrictions, were still available. What was popular was luxury options such as bucket seats, 8-track players, vinyl tops or upscale trim. Despite the decline in drivetrain options, and the lack of solid design or engineering progress, the public was still enamored of the presentation and the sales for Chevy’s niche of personal luxury cars were steady and strong.
Unfortunately, like many American cars of the era, and due to the increasing effect of emissions standards, safety regulations and fuel economy concerns, the Monte Carlo grew to a larger heavier, longer, and underpowered malaise era characture of itself…much like the Thunderbird it was competing against.
1976 Monte Carlo
The 1976 model, much like its rival, the Ford Thunderbird, grew in length and girth. A 400 cid V8 was made optional to move all that weight (as the 454 was gone), though the standard engine was down to a 305 V8 with a paltry 145 hp. The 1976 redesign was mostly a refresher, adding on luxury, along with length, width, weight and some angular touches to the car, a longer hood and dual (stacked) headlights. Again, while the overall styling cues of the Monte were kept, the look was bloated and heavy, compared to the 1st generation’s clean styling, the ‘76 was anything but “understated”. Considering the time frame it was built and sold it in (the polyester/disco 70’s), it was better than par for the course. Despite the growing malaise of the model, and US models in general, it was one of the best selling Montes for Chevy.
By 1977 Project 77 reared its head, it was a huge investment program for GM, with over $600 million spent towards a 600 lb decrease in weight and 10 inch reduction in length to the generals entire model line and the Monte was not excluded.
1978 Monte Carlo
The new downsized car, a 1978 model, was at best a caricature of its past self. If the 2nd generation was somewhat excessive in design for its larger frame, the third did its best to try to shrink those same styling cues onto a smaller body/smaller wheelbase with mixed success. The fender curves were very prominent and flowed directly into the hood, and the taillights, previously horizontal on both generations, became vertical. The dual stacked headlights of the previous model reverted to large single units. The rear glass and C pillars were very formal and upright as was the style (i.e. Cadillac Seville) of most GM vehicles at the time. The combination of all these themes results in a cheeky, chunky look about the car overall. Though not unattractive, initial glances of the design can be called awkward. The Project 77 theme and downsizing was more catered to angular shapes (ex. Cutlass Supreme & Buick Regal) and did not lend itself well with the familiar fenders/coke bottle and curvilinear shapes of the Monte Carlo as well. Even so, the styling and new smaller size sold well, at least initially considering Japanese models such as the Celica and previous sporty cars like the 280Z were moving up and into a pseudo luxury market and offering customers more economical choices than they had before. Engine choices, a 125hp V8 (a V6 was offered for the first time) and luxury options, transmission choices were greatly diminished but not really missed. Considering inflationary pricing and odd/even gas rationing at the time, big V8 engines were not the measuring stick to buyers they used to be. Still sales were steady if not flat until the next generation…
1981 Monte Carlo Coupe
1981 and the 4th generation was easily one of the more balanced of the recent Monte’s, unlike the previous two, the recognized styling cues, the fender curves, grille and landau window were more integrated and less screamingly excessive. The look for the entire car was longer, even though it was actually shorter than the previous generation. The Monte’s styling cues were there, but much more integrated into the body with more angular haunches in the rear and front quarter than before. The car gained a large egg crate grill and dual (vertical) headlights too. Engine choices ranged from non-aspirated 229 V6’s, to a small & rare number of Buick powered turbo-charged 231 V6s, & gasoline 305 V8’s. Even the infamous Olds 350 diesel was available for those that wanted to burn oil on purpose.
1983 bought on the reintroduction of the Monte Carlo Super Sport (SS) with a 305 V8 (standard Monte engines was a V6 rated at 125hp). Although only a small number of SS’s was produced this year, it was wildly popular and was the first introduction of a performance option in the car since the 70-71 Montes.
1983 & 1984 Monte Carlo SSs. SS models were the most popular Monte Carlos in a decade.
For the next years the SS model evolved as the popular choice over the more luxury focused LS and sport coupe editions and sales soared. Changes visually to the overall look were few except for trim and to enhance the SS look. Even so, many parts of the SS trim were incorporated into the base and LS models to enhance the model line up. For the SS power (initially 180hp in 1983) increased and color choices were expanded. In the early 80’s, with a power and performance starved Chevy buying public, its no wonder that the SS became a sales leader for the Monte Carlo. NASCAR’s successful bid with the Monte didn’t hurt sales either as the car racked up wins at and the introduction of the sloped back, and extremely rare/collectible Aerocoupe (produced to qualify for NASCAR eligibility) brought an air of exclusivity and exotic to the car.
Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe
But the writing was on the wall for Chevy’s rear drive coupe, declining sales overall for rear drive personal coupes in the auto industry along with a demand for the car to come in line with the current industry standards of a more compact and streamlined fuel efficient vehicle spelled the end to Chevy’s personal luxury car. Despite a still strong popularity and sales of the SS, in 1987 the last Montes were produced as 1988 models and the Montes run was over.
The Montes replacement, the Lumina coupe (the 2 door companion to the Lumina 4 door sedan) was introduced in 1990. Other than its rather bland styling and front wheel drive there was no noteworthy points to this car, and no carryover elements of the Monte Carlo of the past to this model.The performance model, the Lumina LTZ (the only possible contender to the Monte Carlo SS throne/legacy) was offered with a V6 and 210hp, met lackluster reviews and sales.
1998 Monte Carlo "LS"
In 1995, Chevy, to increase the lackluster image and sales of the Lumina coupe, renamed the 2 door coupe Monte Carlo, reviving the marque once more. Unfortunately, other than the name and a few symbols/logos, not much of the heritage of the Monte Carlo was apparent. Taking the current Lumina’s sleepy design into mind, its not surprising that the Lumina-Carlo had none of the Monte’s styling cues, no flowing pontoon fender curves, no egg crate grill or landau window.
Taking hits from the buying public and past fans of the model about the lack of Monte Carlo-ish-ness of the car, Chevy slowly added traditional styling cues of the original Monte Carlo to the coupe. Frenched/stylized fenders reappeared and knight badging and other Monte Carlos hallmarks showed up on the body and were incorporated. The looks of the car were stronger than ever and especially since the personal luxury market had been abandoned by Ford and Chrysler at this time, the sales of the car and its popularity unfortunately reflected the publics taste for an affordable priced personal luxury coupe from Chevy. Though, the Monte was “back”, and greeted with enthusiasm from Monte fans, sales were not as strong as Chevy would have hoped.
By 2000 a full on SS model with a supercharged V6 w/240 hp was available, a direct nod to the successful NASCAR Monte Carlo campaigns at the time and the popular SS models of the 80’s. Sales of the SS model, though limited initially, were very strong and were supported by upgrades in styling, and upgrades in power.
In 2006 a new small block V8 SS Monte Carlo was introduced, making some 300 hp, an amazing achievement and power increase not met/surpassed since the SS models of the early 70’s and the first time V8 power had been available in a Monte Carlo since the 80’s. Surprisingly, other than the Corvette, and as the Camaro was out of production, this was one of Chevy’s most powerful cars offered to the public in a long time and it was based on a (now) front drive platform car that had gained its heritage from rear drive roots.
2007 Monte Carlo "SS" V8
Ironically the reintroduction of V8 power spelled the end of the Monte Carlo as GM announced that the model would be discontinued in 2007. The model, again, like before, a victim of changing tastes, fuel economy standards, production costs and declining market share. Unfortunately GM has not commented on whether or not there is any replacement for, or revival of the Monte Carlos is due soon. Recent GM plans to not continue with a rear drive W body based platform confirms there are no future plans for a Monte Carlo in the near future, as the new Camaro has taken Chevy’s only two door coupe platform it is offering.
Let’s hope that the success of the Camaro eggs GM on to see fit to bring back rear-drive personal luxury coupes like the Monte Carlo, now that the likes of the Thunderbird, Grand Prix, and Cutlass Supreme have gone to automotive heaven. We hope to see that Knights crest on a Chevy two door soon...
Next time, we’ll take a look at one of the most famous personal luxury coupes of the 70’s…the Chrysler Cordoba! -gumbypiz
