• HOME
• 
• AUTO LISTINGS
• 
• FINANCE
• 
• NEWS
• 
• DIRECTORY
• 
• REVIEWS
• 
• FORUM
• 
• BLOG
• 

2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Preview

AUTO FINANCE

Get a FREE, No-obligation internet price quote! At Automobile.com we strive to provide hassle-free auto finance quotes.

Car Review Tools

Photos of Chevrolet Monte Carlo Chevrolet Monte Carlo Specs Print this Car Review Email this Car Review

User reviews Write your review Read reviews  (0)

New V8 with Cylinder-Deactivation Powers Upgraded SS Model

One thing that has to be said for the current Monte Carlo is that it certainly is distinctive. And most NASCAR fans that I know like its aggressively sloped nose, narrowly slit grille opening and uniquely shaped headlight clusters.

Its sculpted profile reminds me of the old Monte Carlos of the 70s and 80s, cars I particularly liked at the time. The current models vertically stacked tail lamps make the Montes rear styling as unorthodox as its front-end design, while chrome tipped dual exhaust, a deep racing inspired rear valance and large decklid spoiler enhance its appearance in SS trim.

The rear end design and side profile are all that carries

Chevys new 2006 Monte Carlo was driven onto the stage during the Los Angeles Auto Show by NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon, accompanied by fellow driver Brian Vickers, Wednesday, January 5, 2005. (Joe Polimeni, General Motors)

GM expects the new coupe to find a much broader spectrum of buyers due to the updated styling, as well as improved performance and an all-new interior. (Photo: General Motors)

Chevy has cleaned up the Montes look, with a front end design that appears nearly identical to the recently updated 2006 Impala, which debuted in L.A. on the same day. A thin, horizontal grille opening, but not as thin as the outgoing car, is more understated, yet adds a sporty touch to what is otherwise a fairly conservative design. SS models get a racier lower valance that

SS models get a racier lower valance that integrates a second horizontal grille opening, filled with a black-diamond crosshatch pattern. (Photo: General Motors)

Both cars feature large, wrap-around headlight clusters integrating three independent lighting units each, creased to conform to the sculpted lines of the hood and front fenders. And thats about where the similarities end, with the two-door Monte Carlo featuring racy fender swells, just like the current model.

GM has made sure its new entry delivers extremely tight panel gap tolerances of 0.14 inches or less, adding to the feeling of quality. (Photo: General Motors) align="justify">As previously mentioned, the new Monte looks much the same from rear three-quarter view as the current version, which is no bad thing. This is definitely the 2005 cars best angle, and is actually quite unique compared to the Accord coupe, for instance, that borrows much of its design language, especially in the taillights, from Mercedes-Benz products. It gets a standard decklid spoiler, while the SS gets NASCAR-like spoilers. All of the Monte Carlo upgrades add 1.2 inches to the outgoing models length.

Like the Japanese,

Base cars will feature a new standard 3.5L V6, more powerful than the base engines from the majority of competitors at 210-hp. (Photo: General Motors)

GM has made sure its new entry delivers extremely tight panel gap tolerances of 0.14 inches or less, adding to the feeling of quality. Its grab-style door handles relate a substantial feel, something I noticed when poking around one that was on display at the Detroit auto show, an important human-machine interface that many automakers, such as Jaguar with its loose, cheap feeling XJ door handles, forget about.

What the new Monte Carlo has over its Japanese rivals is engine power. While base cars will feature a new standard 3.5L V6, more powerful than the base engines from the majority of

GM has upgraded the Monte Carlos suspension system to allow what the automaker refers to as "more confident ride and handling characteristics." (Photo: General Motors)

competitors at 210-horsepower and 220 lb-ft of torque, top-line SS models will boast a V8.