The original Monte Carlo of 1970 was a difficult act to follow, but Chevrolet managed to pull it off with the Colonnade series.

Introduced in 1970, the Chevrolet Monte Carlo (along with its General Motors stablemate, the Pontiac Grand Prix) redefined the personal-luxury class. The pioneers of the category, the Ford Thunderbird and Buick Riviera, sold at super-premium prices. While the Monte Carlo wasn’t as exclusive or grandly equipped, it could appeal to a much broader audience with its lower price, and the approach paid off with a sizable gain in sales volume. For the Monte Carlo’s first redesign in 1973, the goal was to maintain that success and expand on it if possible.

Based on the long-wheelbase (116-in) version of the versatile GM A-body package, the new Monte Carlo continued its familiar body-on-frame construction, but with all-new exterior sheet metal embracing the Colonnade styling theme that was executed across all the GM car divisions starting in 1973. Partly in anticipation of more rigorous federal rollover standards, designers incorporated double-wall roof construction, thick C-pillars, and small, fixed quarter windows, producing a heavy, substantial look.

The Monte Carlo version, styled under the direction of Chevrolet studio chief David R.  Holls, drew mixed reviews. Compared to the clean, classic 1970 original, the Colonnade Monte Carlo with its elaborate fender creases was seen by many as overdone. Road & Track magazine called the design “baroque.” Motor Trend, on the other hand, overlooked the busy styling and praised the Euro-flavored ride and handling calibrations developed at the behest of division boss John DeLorean. The editors and panel named it their 1973 Car of the Year.

With a list price of $3,415, the second-gen Monte Carlo wasn’t especially well-equipped in base form, but a number of distinctive extra-cost options were available. They included Swing-Out Strato Bucket Seats (AN7) and the all-steel, electrically-operated Skyroof (CF1). The standard 350 CID, two-barrel V8 offered 145 hp, while the optional upgrades included a four-barrel 350 CID V8 with 175 hp. A Chevy big-block was still on the menu, too: the LS4 454 CID V8 with 8.5:1 compression ratio and 245 SAE net hp.

While critics could disparage the styling, there’s no reason to believe that Chevrolet buyers shared their opinion. On the contrary: To meet the demand, model year production rose from 163,000 in 1972 to 290,000 in 1973. In the following year, Monte Carlo volume topped 300,000 and remained at that healty level through 1977, when the Colonnade era ended. The Monte Carlo would cycle through four more product generations before it was finally discontinued in 2007.