Essentially a Lumina coupe, the Monte Carlo is one more marketing trick from the folks who brought us the Genuine Chevrolet' ad campaign, resurrected the Impala SS, and are considering future products with innovative names like Malibu and Bel Air. All fine and dandy, if the new product is able to live up to the legend, like the Impala SS has been able to. We think that Chevrolet should have made more of a styling statement with this car before slapping the Monte Carlo nameplate on it..

Sure, the twin-cam, 3.4-liter V6 under the hood is sweet. Yes, this Monte Carlo handles better than its Lumina Z34 predecessor. But it's still a Lumina coupe, and Chevy stylists did not even try to disguise that fact. It looks nothing like flared-fendered Monte Carlos of yore, which can be either a good or bad thing, but styling is what sold so many Montes in the '70s and '80s. This one, while negligibly attractive, has no distinct personality of its own.

It works well on the track, though. Ford has been whuppin' the Chevy boys in NASCAR with the slick Thunderbird for years, but this new Lumin...er, Monte Carlo, has kept the blue oval boys from leading very many races this season, much less winning them.

New to the Monte Carlo for 1996 are dual climate controls for front seat occupants, new radios, an optional power sunroof, and available steering wheel radio controls. Z34 models get standard four-wheel disc brakes and a trunk cargo net. New paint colors and one new interior color debut this year.

The Monte Carlo is better than any Monte before it, but is saddled with vanilla styling that renders it nearly invisible on the road. The Thunderbird is into its seventh model year in current guise, but its classy looks and excellent interior design keep it in the hunt. However, check into a Dodge Avenger ES or Chrysler Sebring before buying anything in the personal coupe class, despite their less inspiring straight-line acceleration.