Rare Rides: A Horrendous Monte Carlo is Your Year 2000 Nightmare
Our last couple of Rare Rides have been special limited edition vehicles. Last week we saw a GMC Spectre which, upon viewing, my friend declared, “That interior looks like an old Taco Bell!” Prior to that, a Nissan Desert Runner made all your Zima-beach-toting dreams come true, even with its sketchy and unclear history.
But today’s limited edition is more rare and more ugly than either of those two prior examples. It’s also newer, which makes its styling all the more egregious and offensive. By the year 2000, we were supposed to be beyond such gaudy nonsense. But the Monte Carlo SS Jeff Gordon Signature Series Commemorative Edition is as ridiculous as its name is long.
Fortunately, this special edition was extremely limited in production, with only 24 examples screwed together. The one for sale here is number 19 of the run. The seller must really think the number 19 is quite special, because he’s priced this dated front-wheel drive coupe at $49,900.
Maybe he’s banking on the fact that this particular Monte Carlo was produced toward the end of the bygone Personal Luxury Coupe era, where the Monte Carlo was a willing participant for many years. Though this generation ran from 2000-2005, there was another version after that, from 2005 to 2007. Then, Chevrolet finally decided to call it quits on the model.
And by the way, this Monte Carlo is the V6 one (though a majestic 3800 Series II), not the full-fat 5.3-liter LS4 version.
The interior is nothing special, either. There are some red bits sewn onto the wheel and the automatic shift lever, for extra NASCAR reality and sportiness, and stuff. The interior is in as-new condition, as you’d expect for a car with 112 miles on the clock.
In addition to the shocking five-shade and graphically enhanced paint job, you get some special wheels, dual exhaust, cladding, and the signature of Mr. Jeff Gordon right on the back of the car. There’s another signature there too, but he must not matter because he doesn’t get a mention.
It’s certainly a Rare Rides qualifier, but I think I’d wear a bag on my head if I had to be seen in it. That way, my mullet could flow freely out the back, undisturbed.
[Images: MSM Global LLC, via Hemmings]
Interested in lots of cars and their various historical contexts. Started writing articles for TTAC in late 2016, when my first posts were QOTDs. From there I started a few new series like Rare Rides, Buy/Drive/Burn, Abandoned History, and most recently Rare Rides Icons. Operating from a home base in Cincinnati, Ohio, a relative auto journalist dead zone. Many of my articles are prompted by something I'll see on social media that sparks my interest and causes me to research. Finding articles and information from the early days of the internet and beyond that covers the little details lost to time: trim packages, color and wheel choices, interior fabrics. Beyond those, I'm fascinated by automotive industry experiments, both failures and successes. Lately I've taken an interest in AI, and generating "what if" type images for car models long dead. Reincarnating a modern Toyota Paseo, Lincoln Mark IX, or Isuzu Trooper through a text prompt is fun. Fun to post them on Twitter too, and watch people overreact. To that end, the social media I use most is Twitter, @CoreyLewis86. I also contribute pieces for Forbes Wheels and Forbes Home.
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So much hate on this site for the Monte Carlo. Looks are subjective. Ill put this take on it. The 3800 series 2 v6 is smooth and reliable, with enough torque to move it well. It is roomy, fully equipped, has a large trunk and lasts. Pricing was competitive. Certainly more comfortable than the Solara and Accord Coupe - which isnt really it's competition anyway. Those are small compacts, the MC is a mid-size car. It os more of a touring car than a sports car. Suitable for comfortable commutes and trips and has a back set that full sized people can use. Fair gas mileage for what it is. I purchased a 2k Monte SS and it l7ved up to my expectations for commuting, road trips and vacations with friends. 273000 miles out of it, water pump and A/,C compressor were the only sore points. It took a drunk driver to kill it.
And if you make "Kermit jokes" Ford and Toyota stole his mouth. The Solara and Accord are too small, cramped and expensive for what you get and styling as exciting as a microwave oven. The new Camry is an origami g horror show and everything today is just a "truck".
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/gms-3800-v-6-was-long-lived-and-underappreciated/