(first posted 8/5/2016) If there’s any theme behind the Chevrolet chapter of this series, it’s that General Motors’ was rather fond of topping their lines with a sporty model. Some of the more famous performance Chevys have been called SS, RS and Z28, but who remembers less succesful nameplates like Eurosport VR and Mirage?
Celebrity Eurosport VR
Years produced: 1987-88
Total production: approximately 1621
The Celebrity Eurosport was one of The Big 3’s attempts during the 1980s to offer a more involving driving experience and European styling cues in their mainstream offerings. GM alone fielded multiple European-inspired editions of its FWD A-Body vehicles, including the critically-acclaimed Pontiac 6000 STE and the lesser-known Buick Century T-Type and Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera ES. The Eurosport, first launched in 1984, became a mainstay of the Celebrity range and spawned an intriguing yet pointless special edition, the Eurosport VR.
While the Eurosport used blackout trim and alloy wheels to emulate Euros like the Volkswagen Quantum, the Eurosport VR featured a body kit and wheels more reminiscent of cars from European tuning houses like Brabus and Alpina. The look had been previewed on the ’86 Celebrity RS concept which also featured an experimental all-alloy 3.3 V6 that never came to fruition.
Available on sedan and wagon Celebrities for 1987 (a VR coupe was added in 1988), the VR package cost an eye-watering $3,500, which was more than a third of the cost of a base Celebrity sedan. As with previous special editions like the Monza Mirage, GM contracted a 3rd party (here, AutoStyle Cars) to add the modifications which included a blanked-off grille and a one-piece urethane front bumper with air dam. VRs could come only with the 2.8 V6 and painted in either black, white, silver or red with matching wheels, however it could be specified as much or as little as the buyer wanted.
Interior trim was unique to the VR with gray, black and red velour seats with leather thigh bolsters and matching door trims; carpeting was blood red. Interestingly, the VR’s Code Red paint was borrowed from the Corvette and Camaro and was never offered on any other Celebrity models. What the VR should have borrowed was a proper tachometer, a glaring omission for a supposed sport sedan.
Despite the heavy outlay, the VR had the same V6 and suspension tune as the regular Eurosport. 0-60 was accomplished in around 9 seconds, decent for the time but nothing extraordinary. New for 1987 was a Getrag five-speed manual transmission option; three- and four-speed automatics were also available. While the VR gained the coupe body style as an option for ’88, it lost the fully body-colored wheels for plainer wheels with colored inserts, and was also robbed of the ’87 model’s unique interior trim. The cost of the option package came down but sales did not go up: only around 600 or so VRs were produced for its sophomore (and final) season.
Caprice LTZ
Years produced: 1991-93
Total production: ?
The LTZ trim level has enjoyed a long life, first introduced in the late 1980s and only now being phased out by Chevrolet in favor of “Premier”. In recent years, it has signified the most highly specified trim level in a Chevrolet model range but at first it denoted meaningful performance enhancements like a bigger engine and/or a firmer suspension. Before the Impala SS was resurrected in 1994, the Caprice LTZ was the performance flagship of Chevrolet’s full-size range.
You may remember the LTZ from the gushing press coverage bestowed upon it by Motor Trend in 1991. The magazine specifically listed the LTZ as the winner of the prize even though it probably accounted for a tiny fraction of Caprice sales.
Basically, the Caprice LTZ was a Caprice with many of the handling enhancements of the police package. The LTZ was truly a stealth package, with nary a sporty cosmetic addition to be seen. The only visual differences were the lack of a stand-up hood ornament and whitewalls, some chrome on the exhaust tip, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel inside with an analog tachometer and digital speedometer.
Mechanical enhancements included a 3.23 limited-slip axle, sport suspension and heavy-duty brakes and cooling. What the LTZ didn’t share with the police package was its engine: it made do with the same 170-hp, 255 ft-lb fuel-injected 5.0 V8 as the regular Caprice, mated to the same column-shifted, four-speed automatic. For 1992, the LTZ received the 5.7, producing slightly more horsepower (180 hp) but a handy helping of extra torque (300 ft-lbs). For 1993, all Caprices received a variety of tweaks including a wider track and the loss of the rear wheel skirts, but the LTZ remained little differentiated in appearance from other Caprices.
Whether it was consumers’ dislike of the new aero styling or just a general cooling of interest in the full-size market, Caprice sales plummeted after the new generation’s sophomore season: from around 210,000 units down to 110,000. Sales remained relatively steady after that but never rose again to 1980s or even 1991 levels. While sales breakdowns aren’t available for the LTZ, it is fair to presume it did not account for many Caprice sales. Private buyers who wanted extra performance and dynamic ability were much more receptive to the Impala SS, with its gutsier performance and bolder styling, and by its final season the SS outsold both Caprice sedan and wagon combined.
Monte Carlo Turbo
Years Produced: 1980-81
Total Production: 16,866
Chevrolet had introduced, with Oldsmobile, a turbocharged engine in 1962. The Corvair was the only recipient of the technology, and the turbocharged flat six was an option in Chevy’s rear-engined compact. However, the turbo was gone after 1966 and the Corvair itself didn’t survive much longer. Oldsmobile’s Jetfire was even less successful, and GM put the technology on a shelf somewhere in their engineering center and let the dust and cobwebs gather. But the 1970s were a tumultuous decade for automakers, an oil crisis and emissions standards requiring urgent attention to the issue of fuel economy. A turbocharged 3.8 V6 was developed and launched in 1978, but it was decided that Buick would be the “turbo” brand. Still, some exceptions were made to this rule and that was how the Chevrolet Monte Carlo Turbo came to exist.
Like its platform-mates, the Buick Century and Regal, the Monte Carlo was also available with more mainstream V6 and V8 engines. Unlike the Buicks, the turbo V6 was a regular option and not tied to a specific “Sport Coupe” or “Turbo Coupe” option package. To a greater extent than in Buick’s marketing, the turbocharged Monte Carlo was pitched as more of a V8 substitute than a performance option. This was underscored by Chevrolet making the turbo V6 available in any available Monte configuration: you could build a Monte with wire wheels, bench seat and column-shift and tick the turbo option box. Visual differences were limited to badging and a modest hood scoop. As with the regular V6 and V8 Montes, no manual transmission was available. The carbureted turbo V6 produced 170 hp and 275 ft-lbs of torque, more than the 267 or 305 V8s, but GM did little to advertise the enhanced performance and instead boasted about the turbo’s fuel economy. With almost identical ratings to the base V6, the turbo’s fuel economy was commendable given the increase in power.
The 1980 Monte Carlo had received a new fascia with two headlights each side but it had retained the car’s trademark hips. For 1981, the Monte Carlo was restyled again along with its other A-Body coupe counterparts. Styling was more aerodynamic but the cleaner side detailing made it much less distinctive, the ‘hips’ virtually gone. The turbo option carried over, offered alongside Chevy’s new 229 cubic-inch V6 and 267 V8 (or, in California, the naturally-aspirated Buick 231 V6 and Chevy 305). But with only 3,027 turbo Montes sold in 1981, Chevrolet quickly realized the technology wasn’t gaining any traction – perhaps due to its own low-key marketing – and the option was shelved before model year 1982. In its place, Chevrolet introduced two of their infamous diesel engines. The turbo 3.8 would go on to reach tremendous heights in performance, but it would never be seen in a Chevy again.
Impala SS (’61)
Years Produced: 1961
Total production: 453
Who would have imagined that a rarely-ordered option package on the full-size Chevy, with a production total of just 453 units, would become one of the longest-running performance nameplates of all time? The SS badge may have had an inauspicious start but it eventually came to be used on all manner of high-performance Chevys (and some not-so-high-performance Chevys), culminating in its use as an actual model nameplate with the 2013 SS.
Like the current SS sedan, the ’61 Impala Super Sport was a genuine performance package. For the low price of $53.80, the buyer received a tachometer, power steering, sintered-metallic power brakes, heavy-duty front and rear coil springs and shock absorbers and heavy-duty tires. For future years of the SS option, these would be individual options as the SS became predominantly an appearance package.
It was available only with Chevy’s 348 cubic-inch V8 in 305 hp (2-barrel carbureter) and 340 and 350 hp (4-barrel carb) tunes, as well as Chevy’s new 409 cubic-inch V8 with a 4-barrel carb and 360 hp and 409 ft-lbs of torque. The 409 was a bored-and-stroked 348 V8 with a new block and various other modifications; only 142 of the 1961 Super Sports were equipped with this larger engine. A four-speed manual transmission was standard, a so-called high-performance version of the two-speed Powerglide automatic available only on the weakest of the 348s.
Unlike many years of the Impala SS, the ’61 was not available with a six-cylinder engine. What made the ’61 even more unique was its availability on all Impala body styles, even the two-door pillared sedan (!), four-door hardtop sedan (!!) and wagon (!!!) Alas, the few so equipped seem to have disappeared. A ’61 SS wagon would be an unbelievably rare treasure.
Monza Mirage
Years produced: 1977
Total production: 4,097
The Monza was a handsomely rebodied version of the already rather attractive, if unreliable, H-Body Chevrolet Vega. But while the Vega was only ever offered with four-cylinder engines, the Monza had pretensions of athleticism and offered both V6 and V8 engines. As it was marketed more as a sporty personal offering than a humble econobox – the 1976 Chevette was Chevrolet’s more targeted offering for that market – there were various intriguing offerings during the Monza’s run. The wildest-looking was the Monza Mirage, a classic “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” special edition.
Before we look at the Mirage, though, it’s worth looking at some of the other unique Monzas. If you didn’t realize there were passionate Chevrolet Monza enthusiasts out there, you haven’t been to Monza Homestead or H-Body.org, the definitive sources of all things Monza. Both sites will send you down a subcompact Chevy rabbithole.
Back to the Mirage. This special edition was styled to resemble the Monzas raced in the IMSA GT Series. As the promotional material states, ordering a Monza Mirage required you to select the 2+2 body style in Antique White. Interior color was up to you, as was the powertrain: for 1977, the Monza was available with only two engines, a 305 cubic-inch V8 or the aluminium-block 2.3 “Dura-Built” four-cylinder shared with the Vega. You would select the Mirage option, costing less than $700, and your Monza would be sent to Michigan Automotive Techniques Corp to be outfitted with the purely cosmetic package. These add-ons included a front air dam, fender flares and a rear spoiler. If you wanted any mechanical improvements, you would need to pay an extra few hundred for the sport suspension package. Think of the Monza Mirage as more like a Mustang Cobra II than an Aspen Sport Coupe: you could have all the show with no meaningful improvements to performance or handling.
If you did do as Chevrolet recommended and choose the optional 305 V8, you would have been pleasantly surprised to find it produced much more power than the short-lived 262 V8 of 1975-76, pumping out 140 hp and 245 ft-lbs of torque while hauling around only 2800 lbs or so of Monza. Model year 1977 would be the best year for performance Monzas, as horsepower figures would continue dropping each year and the V8 option was discontinued for 1980.
Despite the flashy styling, the take rate for the Mirage package was disappointing for GM and plans to continue the model into 1978 were shelved. While this kind of painted-on performance appealed to some, the regular Monza 2+2 was beautifully styled and the body kit simply muddied the lines. But what did the most damage to the Mirage was the considerably cheaper ($199) appearance package known as the Spyder. This trim outlived the Mirage, surviving until the Monza’s last season in 1980 and selling around 6-8k units each year. After all, it had most of the flash, the same amount of dash, and all for less cash.
That’s it for Chevrolet, GM’s lowest rung on the Sloan ladder and yet a brand not afraid to reach up. We’ve almost finished our coverage of General Motors’ menagerie of brands, having covered Buick (Part 1 and Part 2), Cadillac (Part 1 and Part 2), Pontiac (Part 1 and Part 2) and Oldsmobile. Stay tuned for Part 2 of Oldsmobile, as well as a feature on GM’s other North American brands.
Related Reading:
Cohort Classic: Fashion Tone 1977 Monte Carlo
Curbside Classic: 1990 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Brougham LS
The Not Often Seen Curbside Classics: Chevrolet Vega LX, Estate GT & Cabriolet; Monza S
I knew someone that had a 1980 Monte Turbo back around 1992. He snagged it from it’s original owner. It felt a heck of a lot faster than my 1980 Grand Prix LJ with it’s wheezy 265.
My A/C worked so I had the upper hand.
William, Interesting post.
With the possible exception of the 1961 SS, these special models came and went without me noticing them. Of course I was a car crazy teenager in 1961 so I noticed most everything about USA auto models. The 409 engine really became a big deal in the 1962 model year (especially in 2 door post sedans) and a few of my cohort quit high school to get jobs so they could buy one (not a recommended move no matter how much we all coveted them).
I love the roof line of the pictured 4 door hardtop with the new de-dog-legged windshield and clean plain C pillar.
Thank you for this research in the arcane art of automotive salesmanship.
In 1962, quitting high school to get a job and a cool car was not the lifestyle suicide we’ve tried to present it as for the past fifty years. Which is why society had to put on the big PR campaign in the first place.
Another one from the stone age – female department: Getting pregnant so you could drop out of high school and marry your boyfriend. As late as 1968, that was still a legitimate move for lower class females in the Erie, PA public school district. Which is why I lost my virginity (she wasn’t having any luck with the boyfriend). She succeeded, married the dude, and as late at 1985 they were still together. Never asked about paternity, and she never volunteered any information. Occasionally I wonder.
William: Nice write up of some cars I do remember. I’d love to see these cars take their place at any local car show but I fear they did not survive due to the rust worm and an indifferent ownership.
More rarer and obscure models, if we include models only sold in Canada. I think the Canadian 1970-76 BelAir 2-door hardtop and 1970-72 Chevelle 300 Deluxe http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Chevrolet/1972_Chevrolet/1972%20Chevrolet%20Chevelle%20Brochure(CND)/image4.html might fit the category as well. I should said 1971-76 BelAir but the 1970 Canadian model get a 2-door hardtop to replace the 2-door sedan. And let’s also include the Canadian 1973-75 Biscayne. http://oldcarbrochures.org/New-Brochures—July/1975-Chevrolet-Full-Size-Brochure-Cdn/1975-Chevrolet-Full-Size-Cdn–16-17
And the 1973-74 Nova taxicab was the only Nova who can still have front vent windows available. https://www.flickr.com/photos/autohistorian/15808782845
Then there’s also the ’76 Bel Air and ’77-81 Bel Air, Canada-only base Chevys.
I bought my only new car in 1980, a Pontiac Phoenix coupe. I custom ordered it (the term “bespoke” being 30 years from enjoying its current vogue) with an eye toward cheap, planning to give it my own appearance “Eurozation”, so it was mechanically quite basic, with the 4cyl/4-speed. I checked “white” on the build sheet and when it arrived i set about to making it look like the Chevy at the beginning of this terrific post. The aluminum hubcaps were painted to match the body. The grill and roof trim were painted flat black,, and a 3/4″ black vinyl rub strip was mounted along the body crease with a red tape stripe down its center. Finally, body color tape was applied to the “Mercedes flutes” on the tail lights. It truly reflected my approach to car ownership— the appearance of performance without the realization of it– as I never trusted the traditional American approach of “lots of go but no stop”. In that respect, the car fit the ’80s idiom, “all flash/no dash” perfectly.
Put me down for the Monza Mirage; that is the 1970s preserved in amber. I also checked out your link to Monza Homestead; it’s always fun to see someone who is so intense about something that very few others are intense about.
I think somewhere I may have a model of this car. I’ll have to look.
On the Celebrity VR. Those inserts on the seats do a nice job of Eurosporting the interior. Looking further, you notice the genuine 5 speed and the wildly bright red carpet. I is almost like looking in a Camry special edition and spying loose pillow velour benches and shag carpet. Toyota is way too boring to do something so fun, it is great that Chevy wasn’t so stuffy.
I could never understand the Celebrity Eurosport. Probably the saddest attempt in my book for an American brand in the 1980s/1990s to make a “Euro” flavored American sedan. Its sibling such as the 6000 STE at least made a few extra changes and had styling that didn’t look so sad with the “Euro” treatment. But the Celebrity, with its ultra boxy upright styling completely clashed with the aero enhancements and red trim. The fact that they called it “Eurosport” is even sadder.
I think GM probably freaked out when they saw the Taurus, which had European DNA baked into every trim level, so they panicked and rushed some half measures to market. Celebrity sales tanked once the Ford came out, so I can understand why GM felt so insecure. Definitely agree with you though – it was quite sad.
At least if the VR had truly been a 6000 STE with different badging it would have been a little special. Rear load leveling and AWD would have been something to brag about.
Principaldan
Years ago 1995 to be exact, right after turning 18. I saved up a hefty down payment to build up my credit by financing my first used car. My dream car then was a Baretta GT or GTU.
Well the Baretta I located and originally wanted was out of my price range since it had very low miles. Seeing how disappointed I was, the used car salesmen I had worked with-then told me that his son was selling his tricked out Celebrity and that he could arrange for me to test drive it etc. To be honest I was not that excited about it, bout went to see it anyway. I had always thought the Chevrolet Celebrity (in regular trim) was the bland forgettable child out of the late 80’s Ciera, 6000, Century choices. With the 6000 STE AWD the best choice, loved that digital dash.
When I meet up with his son and saw the car he was selling, it was a great condition 1987 Celebrity VR6 (All White) that he purchased brand new. At the time I thought it looked like something right off a Nascar race track. I did however, think it looked a little dated due to its boxy shape-say compared to the Taurus. Plus it was a too flashy with all the body modifications and did not like the color white on a car since it does not give off shine. I also thought it would be expensive to repair even though it just had the (2.8 V6).
I passed on the offer, I think he was asking just $3,400 or around that range. Instead I ended up financing a used 1990 Ford Taurus because I loved the shape and how modern it looked for the time. Later the Taurus became a bad choice because the Vulcan V6 and build quality was too unpredictable and poor.
The one thing I remember the son of the salesman kept telling me was that how rare the VR6 was blah blah. How one day it would become a collectors item due to its rarity and so on. Back then I thought yeah right whatever, what he was telling me went in one ear and out the other. As he continued to try and sell me the car. I look back now in the 2016 and I think to myself WOW the VR6 looks stunning and all the stuff the son was telling me about the car back then was true. I wish I would have purchased it now seeing how rare it was back then and now.
Ohh well at least I can share my story that I had an opportunity to buy a Celebrity Eurosport VR6. Since that day back in 1995, I have never come across another VR6 on the road or otherwise in my life. Sometimes jewels are right in our face but we ignore them right in plan sight!
To be fair, Ford offered “Eurosport” wannabe packages on the Fairmont & even the 1st-gen Granada. I suspect this was targeting wavering enthusiast types too cheap or patriotic to buy European. As stated above, the stock Taurus was good enough not to need such a “poseur” option.
Definitely true, but by 1987 Ford had at least recognized that those half measures did nothing for prestige or sales.
Also, before Audi kicked off the aero trend, the typical big European sedan (particularly the ones Americans would have been familiar with) was pretty blocky, so dressing up a Fairmont or something like that wasn’t as visually jarring as it would have been later.
OK, I’m odd, but I loved the Eurosport VR when it came out, even though I knew it had an absolutely milquetoast drivetrain. I just loved the way the car looked, and I’m a sucker for boxes on wheels with aero fittings. Remember, I’ve owned a first generation xB for the past six years. To my eyes, that styling combination worked.
I remember back then, Pontiac was so international that it came with amber turning signals.
Actually calling it “Eurosport” – how embarrassing!
What about the ESP Falcons bigger headlight driving light package and some stripes labelled European Sport Package, rare sought after models now I’m told but a joke when new,
True, but I think the base Falcon was somewhat sportier than the US Celebrity.
I had forgotten about the Eurosport VR! It’s a look that’s *very* mid-1980s, and was pretty close to what I had done with my ’82 Cavalier (respray and ground effects done probably in ’85 or so).
You can tell by looking at the VR that Chevy lifted the styling cues wholesale for the Lumina. Lack of grille, red rub strips, spoiler…
There was one turbo Monte running around Ottawa, Ohio when I was a kid. It had been ordered to be pretty plain except the hood bulge and turbo lettering. It was a deep navy blue and the thing that stood out was the wheels. I thought of them as “checkered flag” wheels.
The “checkered flag” wheels are indeed pretty awesome. I’ve seen a Monte in Richmond with those wheels recently but haven’t managed a picture yet.
The fact that the blanked grille on the VR was black, regardless of selected color, always struck me as odd. Seems it should have been body color for a completely smooth fascia (the effect that you’d get on a black car in any case).
Very neat. Not to go too off-topic, but what was different about the Olds Cutlass Ciera ES? I had never heard about that model before, and it’s really hard to Google it because “es” doesn’t really count as a search term. (Or will it be covered in Oldsmobile Part 2? I can wait until then.)
Already covered! Check out the article here:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/curbside-unicorns-the-sporty-oldsmobiles-of-the-1980s/
Thanks!
Concerning the 1961 Super Sport: “For the low price of $53.80, the buyer received a tachometer, power steering, sintered-metallic power brakes, heavy-duty front and rear coil springs and shock absorbers and heavy-duty tires. ”
Not quite. Per Hagerty, the only thing the $53.80 got you was spinner wheelcovers, SS badges, a glove box grab bar and a bright floor plate for four-speed models. For a 1961 SS the padded dash, 7,000-rpm tach, beefed-up suspension/tires, power steering and brakes and the 348 or 409 V-8 were all mandatory options on top of the $53.80. Also, although early brochures touted 4 door versions, none of the 453 ’61 SS Impalas had more than 2 doors.
For 1962 the mandatory options were dropped and you could even get the Super Sport package with the 250 c.i. six.
That contradicts what I’ve read at numerous other sources. Hmmm… I guess that makes the ’61 even more enigmatic!
Well, All the mandatory goodies made the ’61 SS quite da bomb. But, the cost of all these options pushed the way price up, limiting its sales appeal. After selling 453 SS’s in 1961 Chevy sold over 100,000 in 1962, when the basic appearance package could be bought with nothing else.
Ahh, mandatory options. America!
Even though dad ran, and I lived in, a Chevrolet dealership back in 1961, at the time I had no idea whatsoever that the Impala SS existed. That’s how much it was pushed that year.
But it had it’s influences: Dad’s 1962 company car was an Impala SS, white with the red interior. Of course, in the interest of resale, it was a small block (327 if my memory is still good) with Powerglide. But it started the mood. Every company car dad owned after that one was an Impala SS. And even at the ripe young age of 11, I couldn’t believe that Chevrolet would actually put a column shifter with bucket seats and a (short) console in that ’62. By ’63 they’d figured out that bucket seats meant floor shift.
Until ’67 when the cheap bastards would make you pay extra for it in the Camaro.
As to the Monza Mirage: Man I really wanted one of those when it was new. Unfortunately my 2+2 was only a year old, a gift from dad (Master’s degree), and the family had settled on a 3-year-and-trade standard.
Above all, the Eurosport VR reminds me of the Opel Ascona C Irmscher from the eighties.
Both the 1978 Monza “S” and the Monza Wagon were really holdovers from the 1971-77 Vega. The 1978 Monza “S” was a curious rarity while the Monza Wagon carried on with the regular Monza line through 1980 which was the Monza’s last year even though they were still sold by Chevrolet through late 1980 as still a 1980 model albeit leftover model. There was no 1981 Monza and the Cavalier had taken over the Monza during the Spring of 1981 as the new FWD J-Car. People may disagree with me, but that’s okay and I pay them no mind because as based on the Vega/Monza future successors after the Cavalier, there was the Cobalt and then today’s Chevrolet Cruze. I disagree vehemently that both the Cobalt and the Cruze were future successors to the 1962-79 Nova because they were NEVER INMHO to begin with. I don’t care if you agree with me or not, but after the 1962-79 Nova, the Citation had taken over and afterwards I just put the Toyota Corolla based Nova on this Photo Montage because I really felt that it was somewhat of a “bridging the gap” model between the Citation and the Corsica from 1986-87, then the Corsica and Beretta duo. Afterwards the various iterations of the Malibu from 1997 through today’s version which really had nothing to do with the 1964-83 RWD versions except by name only. Remember that the Malibu name were also used on two different generations of the Nova models south of the border. In some South American countries since they never used the Nova name, they called the top of the line 4 Door Sedan (our 1968-72 versions) the Chevrolet Chevy Malibu. In Mexico, they called our 1977-78 Nova Rally a Malibu Rallye.
I agree 100% that the successors of the Monza/Vega are Cavalier/Cobalt/Cruze, 😉
I wanted my folks to trade in our ’75 Skyhawk for a new ’81 J car. Was a GM fan boy then, but then got over it with all the 80’s “deadly sins”.
BTW: RWD Nova > Citation > Corsica > ’97 Malibu. The 2004 and later Malibus really took place of the Lumina, too.
Actually the FWD W-Bodied 2000-15 Impala/Impala Limited (Fleet Purchasers) had taken over for both the 1995-99 (through 2000 for Fleet Purchasers) same FWD W-Bodied Lumina and the RWD B- Bodied 1995-96 Impala SS. The 1996 Caprice INMHO did not get a direct replacement until 15 years later in 2011 when the Holden Australian Based Chevrolet Caprice PPV (for exclusive Law Enforcement Agency clientele only) had loosely, effectively and indirectly replaced the Caprice.
Now here are the two different generations of Novas which were known as Malibus south of our border. I also included the actually 1980 Chevrolet Malibu 2 Door Coupe just for the sake of comparisons since they were all within the similar size ranges of one another. 1980 Chevrolet Malibu M80, 1978 Chevrolet Malibu Rallye and 1978 Chevrolet Chevy Malibu.
I was just thinking the M80 could have been part of this article. Only offered by North Carolina and South Carolina dealers on the 1980 Malibu two-door, it was a NASCAR-inspired appearance package, and only in the white with blue stripes as in your photo. About 1900 produced.
https://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2014/08/22/hemmings-find-of-the-day-1980-chevrolet-malibu-m80/
Caprice LTZ! I always thought that dealer just put a badge over the missing hood ornament on the Caprice and I never knew they came in that way from the factory
I’ve known about all these cars, though a couple only through car magazine articles.
Considering the initial effort expended to come up with the Celebrity VR, and it’s steep price premium, you have to wonder if Chevy might have been better off building a Celebrity that “went” as well as the VR looked. Instead of an aero package and unique interior, how about a higher performance engine, enhanced suspension, and wider wheels and tires. Perhaps instead of the VR, a Celebrity SS?
I shot a Celebrity VR on the go here a couple of years back, and posted it: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-outtake-celebrity-vr-very-rare/
Nice article, and goes a long way to highlighting why these specials, most being just wildly overpriced tape-stripe trim packages, didn’t sell all that well.
I am a little surprised at the Caprice LTZ being a rare bird, though. I’ve seen a few of them and, frankly, like it better than the ‘ain’t I a badass’ Impala SS with it’s monochrome paint treatment and lack of chrome. The LTZ has much more of an unassuming stealth factor and it’s a shame the LTZ was usurped by the later SS. A late LTZ Caprice equipped with a 5.7L V8 (even though it’s not the hotrod LT1) would still seem like an okay everyday ride, speedy enough for just about anything other than the stoplight drags, i.e., more of a grown-up’s car.
OTOH, I’m guessing that the price of the LTZ got a little too close to the quite similar, but more upscale, Buick Roadmaster of the same years. Maybe that’s why the LTZ didn’t sell all that well.
What also hurt Caprice sales was rise of SUV/trucks in 90’s. Buyers came in to look at a new Caprice, then ended up with a Blazer or pickup.
The last RWD full-size GM cars are interesting in that Ford managed to get nearly another decade and a half out of their archaic Panther cars after the GM ‘bubble’ ended production in 1996. One wonders if GM had went with a more conservative styling approach, their RWD full-sizers would have sold better and stuck around longer, as well.
The evidence is anecdotal, but it sure seemed like the GM cars were a whole lot better than the Fords, particularly the engines. There was just no comparison between an LT1 350 and a SOHC 4.6L V8.
The EUROSPORT VR (holy caps lock GM!) is kitschy cool, that’s a car that couldn’t possibly exist in any other decade, I picture this being the car owned by a goon working for a drug kingpin in Miami Vice, or maybe a gift for his nephew. I was vaguely aware of it’s existence but I never knew the grill was painted on, that looks bizarre.
Looking back with the benefit of hindsight, it is pretty easy to see why GM especially went into all these silly “special editions.” It was to put pizzazz onto what really were outclassed and increasingly crappy cars. The Celebrity was a dog, period, and there are still loads of old Camry’s and Accord’s in these parts, but nary a Celeb. The ’91 B Body could have been a home run with a unit body and rwd coupled to a modern engine, but noooo, GM let Ford take all their Grandpa customers away. However, and speaking from first hand knowledge, there was never anything work with GM in their world, and the only problem they ever had was the sales people not selling enough. Hence the “new and improved” special editions.
The bread and butter has always been the anonymous clonemobiles everybody likes to hate. Why are there so few old low end cars left? Well, back in the day, guys ranted about then just like they rant about the foreign “appliances” of today. A Slant Six 1967 Plymouth Belvedere with three on the tree would have been just as reviled in ’67 as the Accord is today.
The Celebrity also suffered from GM’s tendency in this period to throw up their hands and consign their mediocre products to the cheap-wheels fleet bin. The main selling point, particularly by about 1990, was that it was a new car, cheap. I have to assume the resale values were depressing, and it wasn’t the sort of car that inspires a lot of affection, so the threshold at which owners just cut their losses was likely pretty low. A big advantage of something like an Accord or Camry was that decent ones would still fetch a decent price, so they weren’t quite as disposable.
As for what they could have done, I still think the latter-day Toyota Crown and Nissan Cedric/Gloria is pretty much a template for how the B-body (and the Panthers, for that matter) could have evolved. The last Gloria was the Infiniti M45 here, and I know I’m not the only one who’s observed that it sort of looked and felt like a Japanese version of, say, the last Mercury Marauder.
Remember for all the vitriol, the Celebrity sold at a quarter million units + per year and had it’s best sales year after the Taurus debuted. The roominess surpassed the 2 foot longer 1500 pound heavier colonnade that would have been traded in. These buyers would not have been struck by any lack of modernity.
The fit and finish were also better than colonades, at least equal to stretched k cars and Taurus and Japan and Europe had no offerings, except the rare VW Quantum, in this size/price class in the 80s.
I agree with your observation regarding the Gloria/M45 and the Marauder. This coming from someone who owned a Marauder and has always admired those M45s.
The VR is a really dire-looking thing. I remember the Eurosport, but the VR’s decor suggests a level of disconnect between the marketing/product planning people and the designers and engineers that’s actually kind of painful to see. It’s like the automotive equivalent of the kind of awkward public behavior you see from couples about a week before one of them ends up sleeping on your couch, muttering about divorce lawyers and restraining orders.
All the rest of these cars are at least inoffensive — the Monza was a sporty car from an era where sporty cars were all talk and no trousers, and the LTZ was basically saying, “Well, you can have the Caprice police package stuff if anybody really wants it” — but the VR makes me cringe. I would have been tempted to ask, “Was that really the best you can do?” except that any of the possible answers would have been too depressing.
The 1992 Caprice LTZ only had the 5.0L L03 engine, as seen here on page 6 of this PDF: https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/docs/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits/Caprice/1992-Chevrolet-Caprice.pdf
The 5.7L L05 became the optional engine on the retail Caprice wagon for 1992.
The retail Caprice sedan didn’t get the 5.7L L05 till 1993, and then only as part of the LTZ trim level. In fact, from 1980 to 1992 there was no SBC 350 engine available for any retail Caprice sedan in the USA. The 350 could only be ordered on factory 9C1 (Police) or 9C6 (Taxi) vehicles.
What did the VR stand for?
I always assumed it was a reference to the VR which would be a part of a premium tire size, like 225/60VR16. It seems like V and Z were the only speed ratings which were ever considered enough of a big deal to call out. The Goodyear Eagle Gatorback was a very respected speed tire at the time, and its speed rating and aspect ratio were the sidewall callouts (Eagle VR50).
GM launched the Monza the same time Iacocca launched the Mustang II. Ford ended up with almost 300,000 sales in 1974 to the Monza’s 136,200. With every new version of Mustand II, GM had a Monza counterpart. The sole exception was the Vega wagon becoming the Monza wagon in 1978 and 1979, adding an extra 30,000 to the production totals.
I remember the Monza well. They were the Vega replacement for any die-hard GM fan. They sure looked nice. DeLorean called it the “Italian Vega” because of its styling. They were more reliable than the Vega, but then, pretty much everything was more reliable.
The Monza was the Mustang Too, and just as crappy as that sounds.
The Mustang versus Monza thing also extended to the Mirage package. I’m convinced it’s what inspired Ford to come out with the ‘King Cobra’ package for the Mustang II’s final year. It was quite similar to the Mirage, being slathered with all manner of decals and spoilers, including a big cartoon snake on the hood (that one was surely a nod to the Trans Am’s ‘screaming chicken’ hood decal).
And, just like the Mirage, the King Cobra was way overpriced for what you got under the hood (the same lo-po 302-2v you could get in any Mustang II) and sold in almost an identical amount as the Mirage. It was as if Ford management was saying, “If you thought the Cobra II was bad, wait until you get a load of the King Cobra!”.
‘The Taurus had Euro DNA baked in to every model up and down the line’. European styling cues are not something you add on. It may be OK to have a ” sporty model”, but that should not mean ” more flash”. Euro tuning yes, but supposedly Euro-flavored add ons- no.
The Celebrity Euro Sport should have been called the SS – a name that dates back to 1961. The tasteless red trim should have been limited to red line tires.
Off topic, but the Monza ad with all the body styles really caught my eye. I don’t recall EVER seeing the “Monza nose on a Vega hatchback” bodystyle. From my recollection of what I saw, maybe 75% 2+2, 20% Coupe, and 5% wagon. I can’t recall the Vega-style hatchback existing AT ALL.
There was a Canada only 1986 Chevy Chevette Cameo appearance package. In white paint instead of blackout bumpers, wheels and other trim it was all white instead. The body side moldings had a red insert and red Chevette Cameo decal on door panels with red interior.
My dad had a Turbo Monte Carlo when I was a toddler. For years I heard stories about what a lemon it was, how it leaked every fluid from everywhere, and people kept stealing the expensive hubcaps and the insurance wanted to replace them with plain ones (when he refused, they wanted him to buy them out of pocket, and they’d reimburse him later, which he also refused). It must’ve been somewhat well equipped, given that part of the story.
My dad traded it in on a new 1985 Ranger 2.0L and 1985.5 Escort 3 door. My mom was “scared” to drive the Escort because it only had 3 miles on it, so my dad drove it home. Ranger was extremely reliable, needing nothing until traded in on a new Aerostar in 1990. The Escort needed a muffler at some point, and in 1991, spit a spark plug out of its head and needed a heelie (sp?) coil. It made several cross country trips and was otherwise trouble free until my brother totalled it in 1992 (dad was already thinking of replacing it as it had accumulated a lot of miles by then).
My dad has bought nothing but Ford products since the Turbo Monte. They’ve treated him/us well.
Heli-Coil. It’s a play on “helical”.