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When you slip behind the wheel of the 2000 Chevy Monte Carlo, especially the uplevel SS version, you might want to tip your hat to the Corvette in a gesture of thanks.

In 1997, when it came time to redesign and re-engineer the Corvette, Chevrolet got religion. The lesson learned has been passed down to the Monte Carlo coupe: Civil is better than cantankerous.

The ‘Vette had been a jaw-jarring buckboard for decades as Chevy preached the no-pain, no-gain gospel.

Reason prevailed in ’97 as the engineers focused on pleasant, rather than punishing, ride and handling, and did so without sacrificing performance. The car performed better than in its rough-and-tumble days. Tighter turns, sharper corners, and all the while the vehicle stuck to the pavement like a magnet. No wiggle or wobble. No bruising from bouncing up and down and hither and yon. Only a pre-1997 Corvette could awaken you to just how harsh a trip through yon could be.

Chevy has redone the Monte Carlo for 2000. It is now built off the same platform as the Pontiac Grand Prix, Buick Regal/Century and is no longer simply a two-door version of the Chevy Lumina four-door sedan.

And, Monte Carlo has become the beneficiary of the lesson learned from Corvette, especially the SS, with a suspension tuned for aggressive motoring without a lot of annoyances spoiling the trip.

Firm ride with minimum unnecessary motion. Sure-footed handling compliments of a suspension tuned to level the bumps and straighten the twists.

Performance enthusiasts will appreciate the slightly stiff steering on the SS, which caters to devotees of aggressive maneuvers, rather than the more loose steering favored by those looking to expend only minimal energy when pulling into a parking space.

For 2000, Monte Carlo is offered in base LS and top-of-the-line SS versions. The LS is powered by a 3.4-liter, 180-horsepower V-6 with a 3.8-liter, 200-h.p. V-6 in the SS.

Other than engines, the SS differs from the base LS by offering as standard 16-inch Goodyear performance-rated radial tires designed for firm ride and more precise, agile handling. The LS comes with 16-inch Goodyear radials tuned for softer ride for those more concerned with laid-back cruising.

The 3.8 was a pleasant surprise. It has been tuned to deliver an abundance of torque at only 1,000 to 2,000 r.p.m. for lively, alert reaction when you kick the pedal off the line.

An added bonus is the 20 m.p.g. city/29 m.p.g. highway mileage rating (20/32 with the 3.4) from a midsize performance coupe. Another benefit, the 3.4 and 3.8 adopt the starter-interrupt technology introduced on the Cadillac Northstar V-8. If you mistakenly turn the key to “on” while idling, the starter disengages so you don’t suffer the embarrassing metal grind.

What about a supercharged 3.8-liter V-6 like Pontiac offers in Grand Prix? Chevy says only: “There will be some perfor mance enhancements over time.”

So be patient. Chevy has a few tricks in the works but is keeping them under wraps until November’s annual Specialty Equipment Marketers Association show in Las Vegas. SEMA is where Chevy likes to preview high-performance offshoots of existing hardware as well as concepts of niche vehicles coming soon. Last year, Chevy unveiled the two-door Blazer convertible that’s only about a year from market. At SEMA this year Chevy promises some surprises for Monte Carlo. (Keep in mind that the 3.8-liter V-6 in the Monte Carlo pace car at this year’s Indy 500 delivered 230 h.p.)

Base and SS have been given a few sheet-metal tweaks to add styling interest over their bland predecessors. The sharp crease in the rear fenders gives the coupe some design flare. The taillamps, usually an afterthought, are most interesting. Kudos to the designer who came up with the curvy, see-through lens covers.

The LS and SS come with a new crest on the body. Chevy calls it a contemporary reintroduction of the knight’s crest used on the original 1970 model. In terms of dramatic appeal, it will never threaten the Dodge’s Ram head or Viper snake.

The cabin is roomy and cozy, but this is a two-door so to get in back you must first slip through the front. No rear-access door (as on the Saturn three-door coupe) is planned. Rear-seat entry/exit is tolerable, rear-seat room and comfort is above average once there. The trunk will hold the golf clubs.

Monte Carlo competes with the smaller Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring as well as the Honda Accord and Toyota Solara coupes. Next spring Solara will add a convertible; Monte Carlo doesn’t have one on its wish list. No all-wheel-drive either.

Base price for the SS we tested is $21,735, the LS $19,290.

Standard equipment on both cars includes four-wheel disc brakes (lifted off the Impala police package) with anti-lock; 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive; air conditioning (manual LS, dual zone SS); dual front air bags; power locks; carpeted floor mats; AM/FM stereo radio with cassette and speed-sensitive volume control; split folding rear seat backs; tilt steering; power windows with driver’s side express down; daytime running lamps; dual remote power mirrors; remote trunk opener; intermittent wipers; stainless steel exhaust; four-wheel independent suspension and tire-inflation monitor to warn when pressure is low; and rear-window defogger.

The SS adds traction control (not even an option on LS); a trunk cargo net that holds things in place securely but hangs on when you try to remove a package; remote keyless entry, cruise control; leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls; sun visors with lighted vanity mirrors; fog lamps; deck-lid spoiler; and different wheels, though we’d say the wheels on the LS look sportier.

About all you have to add to fully equip the car is an AM/FM cassette and CD upgrade for $223 and a power sunroof that lifts up and motors back, rather than slipping into the roof, for $700.

For $625 you can add leather bucket seats, which dolls up the cabin, but will add to discomfort when making contact on a very hot or very cold day. The cloth seats look and feel fine–wide and supportive with a long seat-bottom cushion to comfort the thighs in long-distance travel. If a seat is designed properly, there is no need for lumbar support. Monte Carlo seats don’t need the prop.

Noteworthy features include a rear seat/trunk slide-through for skis; ignition housed on the dash, not the steering column; a driver message center that programs the door locks to lock in Drive, unlock in Park or stay locked until you press the button; dual cupholders front and rear, although you give up an ashtray upfront; a power plug in the rear of the front console for a phone; cassette/coin holders in the console; hinged, wide-opening trunk lid for easy loading/unloading without struts blocking th e way; and an oil monitor system in the dash that advises when to change the fluid, based on driving habits, which could extend the 3,000 mile-service to up to 7,500 miles.

Chevy expects to sell 70,000 Monte Carlos annually, the bulk of them in Chicago, which accounts for about 20 percent of Monte Carlo sales, tops in the U.S.

>> 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
© 1999 Chicago Tribune Wheelbase: 110.5 inches Length: 197.9 inches Engine: 3.8-liter, 200-h.p. V-6 Transmission: 4-speed automatic Fuel economy: 20 m.p.g. city/29 m.p.g. highway Base price: $21,735 (LS $19,290) Price as tested: $23,319. Includes $736 for preferred equipment package with driver information center, universal garage-door opener, alarm, heated dual power outside mirrors, power driver’s seat; $625 for leather-accent bucket seats; and $223 for AM/FM radio with cassette/CD player. Add $560 for freight. Pluses: Like the ‘Vette, Chevy civilized the ride without sacrificing handling or performance. The 3.8 is rather peppy and designed to deliver high torque at low r.p.m. for off-the-line quickness to hush the moans over the absence of a V-8 or–for now–supercharging. Traction control and ABS standard. Look closely at that mileage rating. Minuses: Some will still moan over the lack of V-8 or supercharger. No convertible planned. Can’t get traction control on base LS. Please explain the new Monte Carlo badge on the roof panel.

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